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Grate the courgette and salt. squeeze all the excess water out otherwise your meatballs won't stay together.
Blend the rye bread into fine bread crumbs.
Mix the beef mince WELL with courgette, breadcrumbs, 1 egg, garlic and onion powder, sun dried tomato paste, a handful of chopped basil, zest of a lemon and season generously with salt and pepper.
Roll into tight golf sized balls, yielding around 20.
Brown off the meatballs in a frying pan until coloured all over, they don't have to be cooked through.
Set to one side and make the sauce in the same pan. Add a splash of water to remove the charred meatball bits from the pan. Sauté the diced onion, garlic, red chilli, red peppers and courgette for 5 minutes until softened. Add in 1 tsp smoked paprika and a pinch of oregano. Sauté for another 5 minutes, tip in the passata, chicken stock cube, 1 tbsp balsamic, a little splash of water and allow to simmer for 10 minutes.
Pop a pan of salted water onto a boil, add the pasta and cook to al dente.
Taste the sauce, season with salt and pepper if needed. Add in the meatballs and lots of fresh basil, allow to gently simmer for 5 minutes to cook through.
I like to mix some of the sauce into the cooked spaghetti to serve, topping with 5 meatballs per portion, grate over extra parmesan.