Classic Spaghetti and Meatballs

My husband loves good meatballs.  So naturally, as soon as we got married I began searching for the perfect meatball recipe.  I believe I have found it!  There are lots of things to consider when choosing a meatball recipe.  Here are the things I love about this one:

1.  They are all beef.
2.  You cook them entirely in the oven.
3.  They are made with simple, basic, fresh ingredients.
4.  They are absolutely delicious!

The sauce is also to die for.  I discovered the recipe while watching an episode of "Throw Down with Bobby Flay."  The recipe is from Maroni restaurant in New York.  It is classic and simple...just the way I like it ;)

Ingredients:  ground chuck, dried bread crumbs, eggs, milk, pecorino romano cheese, onion, garlic, parsley and basil.

Coarsely chop the garlic, onion, parsley and basil and add it to the bowl of a food processor.

Pulse until finely chopped and combined.

In a large mixing bowl, combine the meat, grated romano cheese, dried bread crumbs, eggs, milk and the fresh herb mixture.

Dig in with your hands and mix it all together until it's well combined.

Roll it into golf ball sized balls and place them on a greased baking sheet.

I forgot to get a picture of the finished meatballs :(  But after baking them in a 350 degree oven for about 35 minutes - turning half way through - they will be browned on both sides and they will smell incredible!  Cover them with foil and let them rest for about 10 minutes before serving.

To make the sauce, you'll need olive oil (NOT extra virgin...not sure why, but I tend to follow recipes exactly as they are written so I buy light olive oil specifically for this recipe), garlic, onion, canned crushed tomatoes, salt, pepper and fresh basil.

Heat the oil over medium heat in a pot and cook the diced onions and garlic for several minutes until they are soft and slightly brown.

Add the canned tomatoes, salt and pepper and bring it to a simmer.  Let it simmer for about 20 minutes.  At first it will look really oily, but as it simmers the oil will combine nicely with the tomatoes.

And that's it!  So easy!

Layer the meatballs on top of a big pile of spaghetti, slather it with the sauce and grate some fresh pecorino cheese on the top.  Classic.

Link to the printable recipes:

Maroni Meatballs

Maroni Sauce

Source:  Food Network