Spaghetti and Meatballs

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
• 1/2 chopped sweet yellow onion
• 3 cloves chopped garlic
• 1 cup very finely chopped carrots
• 1 cup chopped cremini brown mushrooms
• 2 cans Italian plum tomatoes
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh Italian parsley
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh basil
• 3 tablespoons tomato paste
• 1/4 cup grated Parmesan-Romano cheese blend
• Salt to taste
• 1/4 cup red wine
• 1 pound ground beef
• 1/2 pound fresh bulk Italian style pork sausage
• 2 tablespoons finely chopped basil
• 2 tablespoons finely chopped Italian parsley
• 1/2 cup finely chopped cremini brown mushrooms
• 2 large eggs
• 3/4 cup unseasoned breadcrumbs
• 2 teaspoons sea salt
• 2 teaspoons fresh ground black pepper
• 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
• Red wine
• 1 1/2 pounds dry 100% semolina spaghetti, thin spaghetti, or bucatini

Directions

1. Prepare the sauce: Warm the olive oil in a 4 to 5 quart pot over medium-high heat. Stir in the onions and cook for 2 minutes. Add the garlic and cook for 30 seconds more, just until it smells fragrant.
2. Add the carrots and mushrooms, then cook for 2 minutes. Stir in the tomato paste concentrate until it is evenly mixed, and cook for 1 minute longer.
3. Add the canned tomatoes, basil, and parsley. Use a potato masher to crush and stir the tomatoes as they cook over medium high heat, until the sauce begins to thicken, about 5 minutes.
4. Turn the heat down to low and let the sauce bubble gently while you make the meatballs, stirring now and then. Form the meatballs: In a large bowl, use your hands to combine the beef, Italian sausage, basil, parsley, mushrooms, eggs, breadcrumbs, cheese, salt, and pepper. Mix lightly, because overdoing it will make the meatballs tough.
5. Use a small melon baller or teaspoon to portion the mixture into 1-inch meatballs. Roll each one and press it together so it holds in a compact ball.
6. Brown the meatballs: In a separate wide, shallow pan, warm the olive oil over medium high heat. Brown the meatballs all over, about 2 to 3 minutes.
7. Depending on the size of your pan, you may need to do this in 2 batches. Arrange the meatballs in 1 layer, and do not pile them up or crowd the pan.
8. Do not cook the meatballs all the way through here, since they will finish in the sauce. The goal is simply to get color on every side. Near the end of browning, pour in a little red wine to loosen the browned bits from the pan.
9. Finish and simmer the sauce: Pour the red wine into the sauce, then stir in the cheese. Season with salt to taste. Add the meatballs and stir carefully. Let the sauce and meatballs simmer for 30 to 45 minutes, stirring occasionally.
10. Cook the spaghetti: While the sauce simmers, bring a large pot filled with 4 quarts of salted water to a boil, using 1 tablespoon of salt for every 2 quarts of water. Once the water comes back to a boil, add the pasta.
11. Cook the pasta uncovered over high heat at a strong boil. Set a timer for 8 to 10 minutes, or follow the package directions for al dente pasta, cooked through but still a little firm. Drain.
12. Serve: Spoon a thin layer of sauce onto each plate, add pasta, then top with more sauce and meatballs. Sprinkle with grated Parmesan-Romano cheese.