Spaghetti and Meatballs

1. Heat olive oil in a 4 to 5 quart pot on medium-high heat.

2. Add onions and cook for 2 minutes.

3. Add garlic and cook for 30 seconds longer or until fragrant.

4. Add the carrots and mushrooms, and cook for 2 minutes.

5. Add the tomato paste, stir to blend, and cook for a minute longer.

6. Add the canned tomatoes, basil, and parsley.

7. Mash and stir the tomatoes with a potato masher until the sauce starts to thicken, about 5 minutes over medium-high heat.

8. Reduce heat to low and simmer gently while preparing meatballs, stirring occasionally.

9. In a large bowl, mix by hand the beef, Italian sausage, basil, parsley, mushrooms, eggs, breadcrumbs, cheese, and 2 tablespoons of salt and pepper.

- Do not overmix or the meatballs will be tough.

10. Use small melon baller (or teaspoon) to form 1-inch round meatballs.

11. Roll and compress into tight balls.

12. In a separate wide, shallow pan, heat olive oil on medium-high heat.

13. Brown meatballs on all sides for about 2-3 minutes.

- Depending on the pan size, you may need to brown two batches of the meatballs. Cook them in a single layer; do not crowd the pan by stacking them.

- Do not overcook the meatballs; they will continue to cook in the sauce.

14. Towards the end of browning the meatballs, add a little bit of red wine to deglaze the pan.

15. Add the cheese and red wine to the sauce and stir it in. Add 1 teaspoon of salt to taste.

16. Add meatballs and gently stir. Simmer the sauce and meatballs for 30-45 minutes while cooking the spaghetti, stirring occasionally.

17. [Cook the pasta](/pasta) and optionally add 1/3 cup of pasta water to the sauce.

18. Place a thin layer of sauce on a plate. Add pasta, sauce and meatballs.