Baked Sausage Meatballs with Aubergine and Tomato Sauce from Life's Too Short to Stuff a Mushroom by

Ingredients

• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 1 onion, chopped
• 2 tsp dried oregano
• 1 tsp fennel seeds
• 2 tbsp tomato purée (paste)
• 100 ml/3½ fl oz/scant ½ cup vegetable stock (bouillon)
• 3 garlic cloves, crushed
• 1 kg/2 lb 4 oz canned chopped tomatoes
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 small onion, finely chopped
• 2 tbsp fresh breadcrumbs
• 2 tbsp whole milk
• salt
• black pepper
• 2 tsp caster (superfine) sugar
• 1 bay leaf
• 125 g/4½ oz mozzarella ball, torn into bits
• 1 aubergine (eggplant), cut into 2cm/¾in dice
• a pinch of chilli (red pepper) flakes
• 45 g/1½ oz Parmesan, finely grated
• 1 tsp finely chopped basil
• 1 tsp finely chopped oregano
• 800 g/1 lb 12 oz pork sausages
• 4 tbsp fresh breadcrumbs
• a handful of basil leaves (optional)