Recipe for Maroni's Spaghetti and Meatballs

I grew up on Italian food. My mother is 100% Italian, so through the years I have been blessed to learn how to cook by an Italian mother. When I was growing up, my Grandfather's wife would visit us and she did not speak much english, so we talked by using our hands. My favorite thing about her visit was she would make us fresh pasta. She would roll out the dough on the counter and then run sheets of the dough through the pasta machine, the crank kind. We would stand at the end of the counter with our arms out and she would crank the pasta and we would collect it and hang it on brooms in the garage. I remember the texture of the pasta and there is no dried pasta that compares to hers.

We don't have a recipe in our family for spaghetti sauce and meatballs. My mother always knows the right balance to create the best spaghetti and meatballs I have ever had. Because my mother is the master of making spaghetti and meatballs, I have never really perfected my own recipe because when I want them, I just call mom up and ask her to make it for us. After watching an episode of Bobby Flay Throwdown on meatballs, I decided it's time for me to adopt a recipe. I am going to try the winner's recipe which is a 100 year old recipe from his Grandmother. Since this recipe has lasted 100 years and he's built a fortune from it, don't you think that's a smart idea?

Recipe for Grandma Maroni's Spaghetti Sauce and Meatballs

Da' Sauce

6 ounces good olive oil, not extra-virgin
12 cloves garlic, finely sliced
1 large or 2 medium Spanish onions, finely diced
2 (28-ounce) cans imported crushed tomatoes
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon white or black pepper
1 large handful julienned fresh basil leaves

Directions

In a medium saucepan over medium heat, add oil. Once heated add the finely sliced garlic and onions to the pan. Cook over medium heat until soft and slightly brown. Next add the canned crushed tomatoes, salt and pepper and stir. Allow the sauce to come to a simmer and cook for 20 minutes. Remove from the heat and add the julienned basil.

Da' Meatballs

1 pound ground chuck
4 ounces dried bread crumbs
4 large eggs
4 ounces whole milk
6 ounces grated Romano
3 ounces grated Spanish onion
2 ounces finely diced fresh garlic
2 ounces finely chopped fresh Italian parsley leaves
2 ounces finely chopped fresh basil leaves

Directions

Mix all ingredients thoroughly in large bowl. If mixture seems a little loose add more bread crumbs.

Roll meatballs loosely about the size of a golf ball and drop into hot spaghetti sauce and cook for 40 minutes on simmer.

Update: The meatballs were fantastic and the sauce was perfect. I highly recommend this recipe.