Italian-inspired chicken & rice meatball soup

1. Place the mince into a large bowl with the rice, egg, garlic granules and 1 tsp Italian herbs. Season. Mix until combined, but don’t overmix. With damp hands, form 12 balls then place on a plate, cover and set aside.

2. Warm the oil over a high heat in a large casserole or saucepan. Sauté the soffritto with a generous amount of seasoning for 5 minutes, or until soft. Pour in the stock and chopped tomatoes, then stir in the remaining Italian herbs and bring to the boil.

3. Once boiling, add the meatballs one by one. Reduce the heat to low, cover and simmer for 20 minutes, or until cooked through and the juices run clear with no pink meat, adding the courgette halfway through.

4. Turn off the heat and stir in the spinach a handful at a time until just wilted. Season to taste and serve with plenty of black pepper and extra virgin olive oil drizzled over the top. Delicious with crusty bread.