Spaghetti with tender beef-and-pork meatballs simmered in a rich tomato sauce. A milk-and-breadcrumb panade keeps the meat juicy, while Parmesan, parsley, and basil finish a generous, family-style plate made to arrive at the table with plenty of sauce.
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Finely chop the onion, garlic, parsley, and basil. Combine the breadcrumbs with the fresh milk and rest for 5 minutes, until the panade is fully moistened and soft with no loose milk at the bottom.
Combine the ground beef, ground pork, panade, egg, two thirds of the Parmesan, all of the parsley, roughly one quarter of the onion, just over one third of the garlic, two fifths of the black pepper, and one fifth of the salt. Mix only until combined; shape medium meatballs with damp hands, without tightly compacting the mixture.
Heat two fifths of the olive oil in a wide skillet over medium-high heat. Sear the meatballs for 6 to 7 minutes, carefully turning until they have a browned crust on several sides. They do not need to be cooked through yet; remove and reserve.
Heat the remaining olive oil in a pot and cook the remaining onion for 5 to 6 minutes, until translucent and lightly golden. Add the remaining garlic, tomato paste, oregano, remaining black pepper, and another fifth of the salt; cook for 2 minutes, until the tomato paste darkens slightly and loses its raw aroma.
Add the finely chopped tomato and cook for 8 minutes, until it begins to break down and the sauce loses excess water. Return the meatballs, partially cover, and simmer gently for 18 to 22 minutes, until the sauce is thick and clingy and the meatballs are fully cooked through with no pink meat in the center.
While the sauce finishes, bring the water to a strong boil with the remaining salt and cook the pasta until al dente according to the package directions, usually about 8 to 10 minutes. Before draining, reserve about one cup of pasta water; drain without rinsing.
Transfer the spaghetti into the sauce and toss gently for 1 to 2 minutes, gradually adding the reserved pasta water until the sauce turns glossy and coats the noodles. Fold in the basil and serve with the meatballs and remaining Parmesan. The finished plate should be juicy, thoroughly coated in tomato sauce, with tender meatballs that cut easily with a fork. And that's it! No orphaned spaghetti with three dry balls sitting on top. 😌
