Spaghetti with meatballs in sauce

Ingredients:

Meatballs in tomato sauce

• 350 g of minced pork
• 350 g of ground beef
• 3 slices of crustless bread
• 1 cup of milk
• Grated nutmeg
• 1 large beaten egg yolk
• A large handful of finely chopped parsley
• 6 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
• 110 g coarsely chopped cooked sausage or ham
• 1/2 cup grated Pecorino cheese, plus extra for serving
• 3 tbsp olive oil, plus more for drizzling
• 1 tbsp fennel seeds, a small handful
• 1 red chili pepper, seeded and finely chopped
• 1 finely chopped onion
• Finely chopped sprig of fresh marjoram and/or 1 teaspoon dried marjoram or oregano
• 1/4 cup tomato paste
• 1 cup white wine
• 1 cup chicken broth
• 1 (800 g) can of canned tomatoes
• 1/2 cup basil leaves

Spaghetti

• 450 g spaghetti
• 2 tbsp (30 g) butter

Preparation:

1. Place the ground pork and beef in a bowl and season generously with salt and pepper. Trim the crusts from the bread and puree the bread in a food processor. Transfer it to a small bowl and soak it in milk. Set the processor aside. Squeeze some of the liquid out of the bread and add the moistened bread to the meat, seasoning with a little grated nutmeg. Add the beaten egg yolk and half (2 tablespoons) of chopped parsley to the bowl.
2. Add 2 cloves of finely chopped garlic to the minced meat, along with cooked sausage, finely chopped in a food processor, and a couple of handfuls of grated Pecorino cheese. Drizzle the minced meat generously with olive oil.
3. Preheat oven to 190 ⁰С.
   
   Place a rack on a baking sheet. Mix the minced meat and form it into large balls, about the size of a walnut. Roast in the oven for 12-15 minutes until lightly browned, but not cooked through.
4. Meanwhile, heat the olive oil in a large 3-quart (3-liter) saucepan over medium heat. Add the fennel seeds, chili pepper, onion, and chopped garlic, season with salt, pepper, and marjoram. Cook, stirring, for 4-5 minutes, then add the tomato paste and stir for another 30 seconds. Pour in the wine and stir for another minute, then add the broth and tomatoes.
5. Crush the tomatoes into small pieces, and when the sauce comes to a boil, reduce the heat and add a few torn basil leaves, reserving a few for garnish. Add the remaining chopped parsley and carefully place the meatballs in the sauce. Simmer for 15-20 minutes, until the meat is cooked through and the flavors have infused.
   
   If the sauce has cooled completely, cover it and return it to the stove. Bring it to a boil over medium heat, then remove the lid and simmer over low heat while the pasta cooks.
6. In a large pot of boiling salted water, cook the spaghetti until slightly undercooked. Reserve about 1/2 cup of the cooking water and drain the rest in a colander. Return the spaghetti to the pot and add the butter, a few ladles of sauce, and the reserved cooking water. Shake to combine and melt the butter. Serve the spaghetti in bowls with plenty of sauce and the meatballs on top, sprinkle with plenty of grated cheese and a few torn basil leaves.
   
   Serve with a simple vegetable salad if desired, but it will likely be ignored... after all, it is spaghetti and meatballs!