Spaghetti and Meatballs

Ingredients
For Tomato Sauce:
6 (28-ounce) cans whole tomatoes in juice (preferably San Marzano)
2 medium onions, chopped
1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil
6 garlic cloves, finely chopped
For Meatballs:
2 medium onions, finely chopped
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
10 garlic cloves, finely chopped
3 cups torn day-old Italian bread
3 cups whole milk
6 large eggs
2 cups grated Parmigiano-Reggiano (1/4 pound)
1/3 cup finely chopped flat-leaf parsley
1/4 cup finely chopped oregano or 1 teaspoon dried, crumbled
1 tablespoon grated lemon zest
1 1/2 pounds ground veal
1 1/2 pounds ground pork
1 1/2 pounds ground beef
1 cup olive or vegetable oil
For Pasta:
2 pounds dried spaghetti
Accompaniment: grated Parmigiano-Reggiano
Equipment: a 12-to 16-quart nonreactive heavy pot or 2 smaller nonreactive pots; a 6-to 8-quart
pasta pot with a pasta/steamer insert for cooking spaghetti in 2 batches
Preparation
Make sauce: Drain tomatoes, reserving juice in a large bowl. Crush tomatoes with your hands and
add to juice.
Cook onions in oil in pot over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until softened, about 10 minutes.
Add garlic and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened, about 2 minutes. Stir in tomatoes with
their juice, 4 teaspoon salt, and 1 teaspoon pepper. Simmer sauce, uncovered, stirring occasionally,
until slightly thickened, 45 minutes to 1 hour. Season with salt.
Make meatballs while sauce simmers: Cook onions in extra-virgin olive oil in a 12-inch heavy
skillet over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until softened, about 10 minutes. Add garlic and
cook, stirring occasionally, until softened, about 3 minutes. Transfer to a large bowl to cool.

Preparation (cont’d)
Soak bread in milk in another bowl until soft, about 5 minutes. Firmly squeeze bread to remove
excess milk, discarding milk.
Stir together cooled onion mixture, bread, eggs, Parmesan, parsley, oregano, lemon zest, 5 1/2
teaspoon salt, and 1 1/2 teaspoon pepper until combined. Add meats to bread mixture, gently
mixing with your hands until just combined (do not over-mix).
Form meat mixture into about 70 (1 1/2-inch) balls with dampened hands, arranging meatballs on 2
large baking sheets or in shallow baking pans.
Heat olive or vegetable oil (1 cup) in a 12-inch heavy skillet (preferably nonstick) over medium-high
heat until hot but not smoking, then brown meatballs in 4 or 5 batches (without crowding), turning
frequently, about 5 minutes per batch. Return to baking sheets.
Add meatballs to sauce and gently simmer, covered, stirring occasionally, until cooked through, 20
to 30 minutes. (If pot is not large enough, divide meatballs and sauce between 2 pots.)
Prepare Pasta: Cook spaghetti in 2 batches in pasta insert in boiling salted water (3 tablespoon
salt for 6 qt water) until just al dente, draining and tossing each batch with some of sauce in a large
serving dish.
Serve with meatballs, remaining sauce, and grated cheese.


Serving Size: 230g for 15 servings