Homemade Spaghetti and Meatballs

Easy tomato sauce, big tasty meatballs and spaghetti ... what else do you need?

Ingredients:

8 oz spaghetti

Sauce:

1/2 cup chopped onion

1/2 cup chopped sweet pepper

1 tbsp olive oil

1 tbsp minced garlic

3 bay leaves

21 oz (640 ml) tomato sauce

1/4 cup tomato paste

1 tsp salt

1/2 tsp black pepper

2 pinches of sugar

Meatballs:

1 1/2 lbs ground beef or ground trio (beef, veal and pork)

1/3 cup Panko

1 egg

1 tbsp fresh chopped parsley

1/4 cup parmesan cheese

1 tsp salt

1/2 tsp black pepper

1/2 tsp rubbed fennel seed

1 tsp minced garlic

2 tbsps olive oil for cooking

Beginning with the meatballs, combine all the ingredients and form into 2" sized balls (a heaping tablespoon). Heat olive oil in pan and brown meatballs on all sides. Remove them to a plate but they will not be cooked through at this point.

For the sauce and using the same pan as the meatballs, add olive oil then cook the onions, sweet pepper, garlic and bay leaves until onions are lightly golden. Add the tomato sauce, paste, salt, pepper and sugar. Stir to mix then return the meatballs to the pan, spoon sauce over them and simmer on low, covered, for 15-20 minutes or until they are cooked through.

Cook the spaghetti and drain, then add to the sauce.

Stir to completely coat the pasta.

Don't forget to remove the bay leaves before serving!

Serves 4-6