Mum’s leftovers meatballs

MAKES APPROX 12-14 BALLS (for around $12)

These are the ideal meal when you give the fridge a good clear out, particularly the vege bins, where so much food gets wasted in many households.

500g beef mince

1 onion, finely chopped

2 sticks celery, finely chopped

1½ cups grated pumpkin

½ parsnip, grated

2 heaped tbsp relish

or chutney

1 egg

½ tsp salt and a decent grind

of black pepper

Oil, to fry meatballs

1 can crushed tomatoes Chopped parsley, to serve

1 Mix everything together except the oil, tomatoes and parsley. 2 With wet hands, scoop out about two tablespoons of the mince mix and form a ball. Flatten it a little and transfer to the pan.

3 Heat the oil in large frypan. Fry meatballs gently for about 10 minutes before turning carefully. Don’t forget that there are raw vegetables in there which need to be cooked right through. Cook in batches and transfer the cooked meatballs to a casserole dish as each one is done.

4 When all are cooked, pour tomatoes into the pan and scrape all the bits and yummy pieces off. Pour this over the meatballs and cook in the oven for about 20 minutes.

5 Serve with mashed potatoes and parsley scattered on top.