Spaghetti and Meatballs

Whenever we go to an Italian restaurant, no matter how fancy, my husband orders this. He looks at me almost apologetically when he makes his decision, passing up dishes with names we can’t pronounce that sound heavenly. So, when his birthday rolled around, my decision was easy: Spaghetti and Meatballs! This recipe was produced by combining two tried and true favorites. I hope you enjoy it!

Meatballs

1 cup breadcrumbs
4 -5 eggs
1 tablespoon parsley
2 lbs ground chuck
1 lb lean ground pork
1/2 onion, finely chopped
2 garlic cloves, chopped very fine
2 teaspoons parmesan cheese or 2 teaspoons romano cheese
salt and pepper
oil (for frying)

Mix bread crumbs, eggs and parley together; add remaining ingredients except oil. Mix thoroughly; if mixture is dry, you maay add a little milk. Mixture should be workable. Roll into balls; fry in oil about 10 minutes. Put the meatballs in the marinara sauce of your choice and simmer for at least one hour.

Marinara Sauce

1 (28 ounce) can whole tomatoes
2 tablespoons olive oil
1/2 medium onion, chopped
1 garlic clove, minced
1 -2 teaspoon dried oregano
1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes
1 pinch sugar
salt and pepper 1 (6 ounce) can tomato paste
1 tablespoon flat leaf parsley, chopped
2 tablespoons basil, chopped
parmesan cheese, grated

Crush tomatoes with a potato masher. Film bottom of large wide pot with olive oil over medium heat. (I use a skillet). Add onions, saute until soft. Add garlic, cook 2 minutes. Add oregano, red pepper, sugar, salt and pepper and stir. Add tomatoes and paste, rinsing both cans with water and adding this to pan. Add parsley and lower heat to simmer 30-45 minutes. Add basil, cook a few minutes longer and serve.