Spaghetti with beef & lentil meatballs

1 Put the lentils in a bowl and mash lightly with a potato masher. Add the mince, ½ the leek, the oregano, egg and ½ the garlic; season and mix until well combined. Use slightly wet hands to divide the mixture into 24 balls. Put a large flameproof casserole dish or heavy-based saucepan over a medium-high heat and add ½ tbsp oil. Working in batches, brown the meatballs for 6 minutes or until coloured on all sides; transfer to a plate and set aside.

2 Heat the remaining ½ tbsp oil in the saucepan and cook the soffritto, remaining ½ leek and remaining garlic for 7-8 minutes, until softened. Pour in the passata with a splash of water and bubble over a medium heat for 7-8 minutes. Add the meatballs back to the pan and cook for 10-12 minutes, until cooked through, the juices run clear and no pink meat remains. Meanwhile, cook the spaghetti in a large pan of boiling water according to pack instructions, reserving a mugful of the cooking water when draining.

3 Stir the spinach into the sauce until wilted; season. Add the spaghetti with a little of the reserved pasta water and stir to coat everything in the sauce. Serve in warm bowls with the cheese scattered over.