INGEDIENTS

For the meatballs
360 g Ground Beef (30%fine / 70% coarse)
240 g Ground Pork (30%fine/70% coarse)
120 g Day old Bread (no crust, just inside)
120 g Milk
1 whole large Egg
20 g Parmesan
20 g Pecorino Romano
4 g Parsley
2 g Oregano
20 g Garlic

For the sauce:
500 g Spaghetti
500 g Tomato Passata
20 g Garlic
1 small Onion
1 piece chilli pepper
3 tbsp Olive oil
1 small bunch Basil
parmesan for serving

METHOD

1. Finely shave both cheeses, finely chop the parsley and using a microplane shave the garlic. 

2. Rip up the bread into small pieces, place it in a container and pour the milk over. Allow to soak and soften-up for approx. 10-15 mins. 

3. In a bowl whisk the egg along with the shaved garlic and half of the parmesan cheese. Season with cracked pepper and salt. 

4. After soaking is done, squeeze the excess milk out of the bread. Reserve a few tablespoons of milk and add it to the egg mixture if necessary.  Aim for a thick but yet still runny batter like consistency.    

5, Work the egg mixture into the meat – be gentle, don’t over mix. Sprinkle the remaining cheese and parsley on top, then work in the bread – gently of course.  Cover and leave to rest in the fridge for approx. 1 hour. 

6. In the meantime start making your tomato sauce. vPeel the garlic, pick basil leaves off the stem, peel the onion and slice it in half. 

 7. Add the olive oil to a medium/wide bottom sauce pot along with the shaved garlic, chilli pepper and basil stem. Allow to poach in the oil on low/medium heat until the garlic starts to brown. Then pour in the tomato sauce along with the peeled onion.  Season with salt and pepper and set to simmer for 20 minutes or so.   

8. Now that the meatball mixture has acquainted itself with the various ingredients, you can begin to roll. Make sure your hands are not warm. A small bowl of ice water helps. Keep one beside you.  

9. Roll the meatballs into 70g balls (golf ball size). Be sure not to overwork them, yet you still want a smooth and round ball that’s absent of any cracks.  Slightly wet and cold hands help with this. The ice water is there for you, dip your hands I whenever needed.   

10. Carefully slip the balls into the sauce. They should be snug little neighbors.  Turn the heat back up and maintain a slow and tender simmer.   

11. In the mean time start boiling water for the spaghetti. Season it with salt – it should taste like sea water; try it.  Cook the spaghetti a minute or two before al dente, reserve some pasta water before draining. 

12. Using a slotted spoon, carefully transfer the meatballs onto a plate. Swap them for the pasta. Throw in some basil leaves, a few generous drizzles of olive oil and some pasta water. Give it a swirl. Cook the pasta in the sauce, continue swirling. You’re done after a few minutes or once the sauce has clinged to the pasta. Take the pan off the heat. 

13. Using tongs, divide the pasta onto your plates. Be generous with your guests. You’re a nonna. Ladle some more sauce onto, then the meatballs and finally a sprinkle of parmesan cheese. Finito!