ITALIAN STYLE SPAGHETTI AND MEATBALLS

FOR THE MEATBALLS:
2 eggs
1/2 cup milk
3 slices white bread (crumbled)
2 lb. ground chuck
1/2 cup onion (finely chopped)
2 Tablespoons parsley (chopped)
1 clove garlic (crushed)
1 teaspoon salt
!/2 teaspoon pepper
FOR THE SAUCE:
1/4 cup olive or vegetable oil
1/2 cup onion (chopped)
2 cloves garlic (crushed)
2 Tablespoons sugar
1 Tablespoon salt
1 1/2 teaspoons dried basil leaves
1/2 teaspoon fennel seed
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1 can (2 lb 3 oz.) Italian-style plum tomatoes
2 cans (6-oz. Size) tomato paste
1/2 cup water
FOR SERVING:
1 pkg. (1 lb.) Spaghetti
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese

TO MAKE THE MEATBALLS:
Preheat oven to 450 degrees F.

Put eggs in a medium-sized bowl and beat slightly with a fork or rotary hand beater. Add milk and bread; mix well with a wooden spoon. Set aside and let stand 5 minutes or until bread is moistened.

Add ground beef chuck, 1/2 cup chopped onion, parsley, 1 clove garlic, salt and pepper to bread mixture. Using hands, mix until well blended. Shape meat mixture into 24 meatballs about 1 1/2 inch in diameter. Place in well greased shallow baking pan.

Place pan of meatballs in preheated oven on center rack. Do not cover. Bake for 30 minutes.

WHILE MEATBALLS BAKE, PREPARE SAUCE:
Put oil in a 4 to 5 qt. Dutch oven and heat over moderately high heat. Add 1/2 cup onion and 2 cloves garlic and sauté until golden.

Add sugar, salt basil, fennel, pepper, tomatoes and tomato paste to sautéed onion and garlic mixture in Dutch oven. Pour in 1/2 cup water; mix, mashing tomatoes with the back of a large wooden spoon. Bring to boil over high heat; reduce heat to low. Cover and simmer 1/2 hour.

Remove meatballs from oven and gently transfer to simmering sauce. Cover Dutch oven and simmer for 60 minutes or longer, stirring occasionally. This much can be completed up to 2 days ahead. In fact, spaghetti sauce tastes better the second day!

JUST BEFORE SERVING:
Cook spaghetti according to package directions so that it is al dente, tender but firm to the bite; drain thoroughly.

Place spaghetti on serving platter; top with meatballs and sauce. Sprinkle with cheese and serve.

Makes 6 servings
Source: McCalls Cooking School