BALLS!

meatballs. YUM! ok, there is no way you will find a better bowl of spaghetti & meatballs than this recipe right here. don’t believe you have been satisfied by overcooked & tough meatballs dining out. you haven’t. these are spiced right & fork tender. make a batch & freeze half. there is no way you can eat all of ‘em. you’ll want to, but, don’t. that’s called bingeing. here’s how:



for the balls



preheat oven to 350℉. line a sheet pan with foil, unless you want to wash it after.



2 slices of white bread, crust removed, any kind, sandwich or loaf. use what you have.

4 tablespoons milk

⅓ freshly grated parmesan cheese

¼ onion, grated

3-6 springs of basil or a small bunch of parsley or a mix of both

1 egg

2-3 garlic cloves

¼ ground black pepper

¼ red pepper flakes

½ teaspoon salt

1 lb italian sausage, casings removed

1 lb ground beef



bread, remove crusts, torn into bits

4 tablespoons milk



in a a cup or bowl, combine bread & milk. let sit for 5 mins.



in a mixing bowl; add parm cheese, onion, basil and/or parsley, egg, garlic, black pepper, red pepper & salt. mix a bit. add sausage squeezed from the casing & ground beef and mix to incorporate, but do not get crazy & over mix! wet hands and form balls about the size of golf balls.



OR



do what i did and put the beef & sausage~without the casings, into a food processor and pulse until the sausage & beef are combined and the grind is a finer grind than regular ole ground beef. if you do this extra step, you will not be sorry!



then, transfer meat mixture to mixing bowl & incorporate the meat with other ingredients, do not over mix! wet hands and form balls about the size of golf balls.



place balls on foil lined baking sheet & bake for 20 minutes. the balls will not be fully done, but, they will continue to cook in the simmering tomato sauce. this is crucial, people - do not overcook the balls!

for the sauce



1 inch anchovy paste (comes in a tube)

2 cans of 28 oz peeled italian tomatoes

5 garlic cloves, pressed

¼ olive oil

lots of salt

pinch of red pepper flakes

parsley or basil or both

pull out tomatoes from juice and chop up finely or whiz tomatoes in the food processor a few pulses. you do not want tomato sauce, you want a bit of texture. set aside with the juice.

start pasta water now if you plan to serve immediately.



in a large (large enough to add your cooked pasta to the sauce pot at the end) heavy bottom pot over medium heat, add the oil, anchovy paste, red pepper flakes & garlic. just as the garlic starts to sizzle - do not let it brown, add the tomatoes & juice, put on your apron, this may splatter. stir & simmer for 20 minutes. add salt to taste. don’t get freaky if the sauce is, in your opinion, bland. it will need lots of salt. & the meatballs are the star here. add meatballs to sauce and simmer, on low heat for 10-15 minutes. if you are serving immediately, here is when you add your pasta to the boiling water. chop up parsley & basil and throw in sauce. under cook your spaghetti by 1-2 minutes. add slightly undercooked spaghetti to the sauce, raise heat to high and stir. the spaghetti will absorb the tomato sauce in about 2-4 minutes. serve in warmed (no where does it say hot) bowls. eat. YUM!



note: ok, kids, when cooking pasta DO NOT ADD OIL to the pasta water. if you do not want the pasta to stick together STIR IT. add lots of salt to the pasta water, by lots i mean, ¼ of a cup AFTER the water comes to a boil. that was a freebie.