Aubergine ragù with meatballs and pappardelle

Method

1. Fry the meatballs in a pan with a splash of olive oil, turning them regularly until they’re evenly golden all over. Scoop out of the pan on to kitchen paper to absorb the excess fat. Drain (and discard) the fat from the pan, then wipe the pan with kitchen paper.
2. Heat a little more olive oil in the pan until it’s shimmering hot. While it’s heating up, roughly chop the aubergines, then add to the pan. Fry, stirring, for 10 minutes, then add a good splash of white wine. Simmer until the liquid has reduced, then stir in the plum tomatoes, breaking them up with the back of a spoon. Stir in the crushed garlic. Roughly chop the oregano and the anchovies, stir both into the sauce and cook for 10 minutes.
3. Whizz 3 large spoonfuls of the sauce in a food processor (or use a stick blender in a narrow jug), then return the whizzed sauce to the pan along with the meatballs. Simmer for 5 minutes. Meanwhile, cook the pappardelle according to the pack instructions, then drain, reserving 3 tbsp of the pasta water. Add the reserved pasta water to the sauce, season, then stir in the pasta. Serve sprinkled with grated parmesan and fresh oregano leaves.