The best meatballs ever

From the Leon cookbook...

For the meatballs
1½ wholemeal pittas
120ml milk
1kg minced lamb
A small bunch of parsley, finely chopped
A small handful of mint, finely chopped
1 tsp dried oregano
2 cloves of garlic, chopped

For the sauce
30ml olive oil
3 cloves of garlic, crushed
2 x 800g tins of chopped tomatoes
1½ tbsp harissa
A handful of basil, leaves picked and chopped
A handful of parsley, chopped
Salt and pepper

Rip the flatbread into pieces and soak in the milk for 10 minutes. Put the bread into a mixing bowl, add the mince and stir in the parsley, mint, oregano, garlic, salt and pepper. Mix well, then roll the mixture into walnut-sized balls. On a griddle pan, brown the balls quickly - it's all about colouring them and not cooking them through, for about five minutes, turning occassionally.

To make the sauce, heat the olive oil in a heavy-bottomed pan and gently fry the crushed garlic. Tip in the chopped tomatoes and harissa and simmer for 25-30 minutes, until the sauce has reduced. Put in the meatballs and continue to simmer for a further 20 minutes with a lid on until the sauce looks about right. Stir in the herbs.