Spanish meatballs in tomato sauce - Cook with Gem

Ingredients

• 4 plain rice cakes (I like the Kallo brand ones in the UK and the Lundberg ones in the US)
• 2 tablespoons dry sherry such as Fino
• 2 tablespoons water
• 1 clove of garlic, peeled and minced
• 1 and a half teaspoons smoked paprika
• 2 teaspoons fennel seeds
• three quarters of a teaspoon of fine grain sea salt
• half a teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 1 large egg
• 50g (a quarter cup) freshly grated Parmesan
• 1 teaspoon red wine vinegar or sherry vinegar
• 740g (26oz) minced beef, pork or lamb. Buy something with 10% fat
• a teaspoon rapeseed or olive oil
• 1 red pepper (bell pepper)
• 1 onion, finely chopped
• 750g (26oz) passata (smooth puréed tomato)
• quarter of a teaspoon sea salt
• a Parmesan rind if you have one or a tablespoon tomato purée (tomato paste in the US)
• a teaspoon or so of sherry vinegar or red wine vinegar