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Per serving
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- 1
Start the sauce
In a Dutch oven, combine both cans of undrained diced tomatoes, the tomato paste, 1 cup of the water, the grated onion, sugar, oregano, bay leaf, and 1/2 teaspoon each of the salt, minced garlic, and pepper. Bring it up to a boil, then drop the heat and let it simmer uncovered for 1 1/4 hours. Don't rush it — this slow simmer is where the flavor comes from.
- 2
Soak the bread
Meanwhile, tear the day-old bread into pieces and soak it in the remaining 1/2 cup water, then gently squeeze out the excess moisture. Soft soaked bread, not dry crumbs, is the old-school secret to a tender meatball.
- 3
Mix the meatballs
In a large bowl, combine the soaked bread, lightly beaten eggs, grated Parmesan, minced parsley, and the remaining salt, garlic, and pepper. Crumble the ground beef over the top and mix with your hands just until combined — overworking it makes them tough. Shape into thirty-six 1 1/2-inch meatballs.
- 4
Bake, then simmer
Heat the oven to 400°F. Set the meatballs on a rack in a shallow baking pan and bake uncovered until no longer pink, about 20 minutes; drain. Transfer them into the simmering sauce and cook uncovered until heated through, stirring occasionally. Discard the bay leaf.
- 5
Serve
Cook the spaghetti in well-salted water until al dente. Spoon the meatballs and sauce generously over the hot pasta and finish with a shower of extra Parmesan.
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Sunday Spaghetti and Meatballs
Created by: PastaAndProsciutto
Ingredients
- 56 oz diced tomatoes
- 12 oz tomato paste
- 1 1/2 cup water
- 3 tbsp onion
- 1 tbsp sugar
- 1 1/2 tsp dried oregano
- 1 bay leaf
- 1 1/4 tsp salt
- 1 tsp garlic
- 3/4 tsp black pepper
- 6 day-old bread
- 2 eggs
- 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese
- 2 tbsp parsley
- 1 lb ground beef
- 1 lb spaghetti
Instructions
- Start the sauceIn a Dutch oven, combine both cans of undrained diced tomatoes, the tomato paste, 1 cup of the water, the grated onion, sugar, oregano, bay leaf, and 1/2 teaspoon each of the salt, minced garlic, and pepper. Bring it up to a boil, then drop the heat and let it simmer uncovered for 1 1/4 hours. Don't rush it — this slow simmer is where the flavor comes from.
- Soak the breadMeanwhile, tear the day-old bread into pieces and soak it in the remaining 1/2 cup water, then gently squeeze out the excess moisture. Soft soaked bread, not dry crumbs, is the old-school secret to a tender meatball.
- Mix the meatballsIn a large bowl, combine the soaked bread, lightly beaten eggs, grated Parmesan, minced parsley, and the remaining salt, garlic, and pepper. Crumble the ground beef over the top and mix with your hands just until combined — overworking it makes them tough. Shape into thirty-six 1 1/2-inch meatballs.
- Bake, then simmerHeat the oven to 400°F. Set the meatballs on a rack in a shallow baking pan and bake uncovered until no longer pink, about 20 minutes; drain. Transfer them into the simmering sauce and cook uncovered until heated through, stirring occasionally. Discard the bay leaf.
- ServeCook the spaghetti in well-salted water until al dente. Spoon the meatballs and sauce generously over the hot pasta and finish with a shower of extra Parmesan.