Spaghetti and meatballs

This is my mom’s recipe and it’s the best!! The sauce is actually doubled from my mom’s recipe. She always doubles it too, which is why there are some odd measurements like 4 tsps, which probably works out to some version of a tablespoon, but I hate math. If you are some kind of weirdo that doesn’t like sauce, I guess you can halve everything. However, making it as-is feeds my family of four and then the rest freezes easily into another dinner and a lunch.

What you need for the sauce:

• 1 onion, chopped
• 2 cloves garlic
• 2 16 oz cans of diced tomatos
• 2 8 oz cans of tomato sauce
• 2 6 oz cans of tomato paste (reserve 1 TBSP for the meatballs)
• 2 cups water
• 4 tsp Italian Seasoning
• 2 TBSP brown sugar
• 4 TBSP dried parsley
• 3 tsp salt
• 1 tsp black pepper
• 2 cups fresh mushrooms that you’ve sauteed in butter, or canned/jarred mushrooms

What to do:

In a saucepan, saute the onions in some olive oil until soft. Add everything else and mix well. Bring to boil and then reduce to a simmer for several hours.

What you need for the meatballs:

• 1 lb ground beef
• 1 lb ground pork (or any ratio of ground beef/pork that you prefer)
• 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
• 3/4 cup fine dry bread crumbs
• 2 eggs, slightly beaten
• 1 TBSP tomato paste
• 2 tsp dried basil
• 1/2 tsp dried oregano
• 1 TBSP dried parsley
• 1 clove minced garlic
• 1/4 cup water
• 1/8 tsp black pepper
• 1 tsp salt

How to make them:

Mix the eggs and tomato paste. Add the water, basil, oregano, parsley, garlic, salt, pepper. Mix and then add the meat, bread crumbs and Parmesan cheese. Mix well with hands. Shape into meatballs. You can fry them until brown or you can line a baking sheet with parchment and bake in the oven for about 20 minutes at 350, turning half way. Either way you cook them, add them to the sauce for the last hour of simmering.

You can make the sauce and/or meatballs the day before and just re-heat for dinner. The longer this has to simmer or set up, the better.