Spaghetti with Meatballs

Spaghetti with Meatballs are a comfort food loved all over the world. Here is a classic recipe:

Ingredients for the Meatballs:

• 500 g ground meat (beef and/or pork)
• 100 g stale bread or breadcrumbs
• 50 g grated Parmesan cheese
• 2 eggs
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• Fresh parsley, chopped
• Salt and pepper to taste
• Olive oil for frying

Ingredients for the Sauce:

• 1 onion, chopped
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 800 g peeled tomatoes or tomato passata
• Salt and pepper to taste
• Fresh basil
• Extra virgin olive oil

Ingredients for the Pasta:

• 400 g spaghetti

Preparation of the Meatballs:

1. Soak the stale bread in water or milk, then squeeze it out and crumble it.

2. In a bowl, mix the ground meat, bread, Parmesan, eggs, garlic, parsley, salt, and pepper until you obtain a homogeneous mixture.

3. Form meatballs of the desired size and fry them in a pan with oil until golden. Then set them aside.

Preparation of the Sauce:

1. In a saucepan, heat the extra virgin olive oil and sauté the onion and garlic until golden.

2. Add the peeled tomatoes, salt, pepper, basil and let the sauce simmer over medium-low heat for about 30 minutes.

3. Add the meatballs to the sauce and continue cooking over low heat for another hour.

Preparation of the Spaghetti:

1. In a large pot, bring salted water to a boil and cook the spaghetti al dente according to the instructions on the package.

2. Drain the spaghetti and reserve some cooking water.

3. Add the spaghetti directly to the sauce with the meatballs, adding a little cooking water if the sauce is too thick.

4. Gently stir to combine the pasta and sauce.

Serve the spaghetti with meatballs in deep plates, garnishing with fresh basil and an extra sprinkle of Parmesan if desired. Buon appetito!