Vegan Harissa Spaghetti and Meatballs

Preheat the oven to 200 degrees. Heat a saucepan over a medium low heat. Add the olive oil and the garlic cloves and fry them gently to infuse the oil. After a few minutes, add the chilli flakes and paprika and fry for 20-30 seconds, stirring to avoid them burning.

Next add the harissa and tomato pastes to the pan, stir to combine. Once the mixture thickens and darkens slightly, add the plum tomatoes along with 3/4 tin of water, the sugar, salt and pepper. Bring to a simmer then cover and leave to reduce.

In a frying pan, heat a splash of oil over a medium heat. Add the chopped onions. Fry until softened before adding the mushrooms and frying until all the moisture has evaporated (be patient this will take time!). Stir frequently to avoid them catching then add the garlic and tomato paste, soy sauce and crumble in the vegan beef stock cube.

Once the mixture is dry, let it cool slightly. Blitz the oats in a food processor until you get a fine powder then add the onion and mushroom mixture along with the other meatball ingredients. If the mixture is wet and sticky, add more oat flour.

Bring the dough together into a ball then separate into small balls. Leave to rest for 10-15 mins in the freezer then fry in a small amount of oil until lightly brown on the outside. Place into the oven for 10 mins.

Blend the tomato sauce and put the pasta onto boil. Once the pasta is cooked and the meatballs are hot through, top the tomato sauce through the spaghetti with a splash of pasta water. Serve with the meatballs on top, a sprinkle of parsley and a generous helping of vegan parmesan.