Directions

• Prep the aromatics and herbs
  Finely chop one onion. Chop ¼ cup (about 10 g) of flat-leaf parsley and set aside. Roughly chop enough basil to measure ½ cup for later. Peel the garlic cloves, keeping three for the meatballs and four for the sauce. Use a garlic press or mince as preferred.
• Start the meatball mixture
  In a large bowl, combine ½ cup breadcrumbs, ½ cup grated Parmesan, the chopped parsley, and two eggs. Add the three cloves of garlic along with 1½ teaspoons of salt and ¾ teaspoon of cracked black pepper. Mix until evenly combined.
• Add the meat
  Add 1 pound of ground beef and 1 pound of ground pork. Using clean hands, gently mix until the ingredients are distributed. Avoid overmixing so the meatballs stay tender. If you like, you may mix in the zest of two lemons for extra brightness.
• Shape the meatballs
  Lightly dampen your hands with water. Portion the mixture into roughly 2-ounce balls (about 18 total). Roll them to smooth and compact them so they hold together during cooking.
• Heat the pot
  Place a Dutch oven over medium heat and add about 3 tablespoons of olive oil. Let the oil heat until shimmering.
• Brown the meatballs
  Add the meatballs without overcrowding the pot. Cook for 6–8 minutes, turning occasionally so they brown on all sides. They do not need to cook through; they will finish in the sauce. Transfer the browned meatballs to a plate and repeat with remaining batches.
• Prepare the fat for the sauce
  After browning, you’ll have flavorful fat left in the pot. Remove about 2 tablespoons, leaving the rest behind for cooking.
• Cook the onion
  Add the chopped onion and cook for about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally and scraping up the browned bits from the bottom of the pot.
• Add garlic and pepper flakes
  Stir in the four cloves of garlic. Add ¼ to ½ teaspoon red pepper flakes if using. Cook for 1 minute, stirring constantly so the garlic doesn’t burn.
• Add tomatoes and water
  Pour in two 28-ounce cans of crushed tomatoes along with ½ cup of water to loosen the sauce.
  
• Season the sauce
  Add one bay leaf, 1 teaspoon dried oregano, 2 teaspoons salt, and 1 teaspoon black pepper. Bring the sauce to a simmer over medium heat.
• Return the meatballs
  Once simmering, gently place the meatballs back into the pot. Do not stir right away; let them begin to firm up.
  
• Simmer
  Cover the pot, reduce the heat to low, and simmer for 1 hour. Stir every 15 minutes to ensure even cooking and prevent sticking.
• Boil the pasta
  Around the 45-minute mark, bring a large pot of generously salted water to a boil. Add 16 ounces (1 pound) of spaghetti and cook according to package directions.
• Finish the sauce
  After the meatballs have simmered for about an hour, stir in ½ cup of chopped basil. Remove the bay leaf.
  
• Combine pasta and sauce
  Drain the pasta, reserving some of the cooking water. Toss the spaghetti with about 2 cups of the sauce, adding a splash of pasta water if needed to loosen.
• Serve
  Plate the pasta, spoon additional sauce over the top, and add the meatballs. Garnish with grated Parmesan and more chopped basil if desired.