Active Time

　　2 hr

　　Total Time

　　3 hr

　　A heaping platter of spaghetti and meatballs evokes a feeling of comfort—perfect for a family get-together. The stars of this dish are the meatballs, of course, and they don't disappoint—lots of garlic and Parmigiano-Reggiano give them a robust flavor that stands up to the hearty tomato sauce.

　　

Ingredients

12–16 servings

　　

For tomato sauce:

6 (28-ounce) cans whole tomatoes in juice (preferably San Marzano)

　　2 medium onions, chopped

　　1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil

　　6 garlic cloves, finely chopped

　　

For meatballs:

2 medium onions, finely chopped

　　1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil

　　10 garlic cloves, finely chopped

　　3 cups torn day-old Italian bread

　　3 cups whole milk

　　6 large eggs

　　2 cups grated Parmigiano-Reggiano (1/4 pound)

　　1/3 cup finely chopped flat-leaf parsley

　　1/4 cup finely chopped oregano or 1 teaspoon dried, crumbled

　　1 tablespoon grated lemon zest

　　1 1/2 pounds ground veal

　　1 1/2 pounds ground pork

　　1 1/2 pounds ground beef (not lean)

　　1 cup olive or vegetable oil

　　

For pasta:

2 pounds dried spaghetti

　　Accompaniment: grated Parmigiano-Reggiano

　　Equipment: a 12-to 16-quart nonreactive heavy pot or 2 smaller nonreactive pots; a 6-to 8-quart pasta pot with a pasta/steamer insert for cooking spaghetti in 2 batches.

　　

Make sauce:

Step 1

Drain tomatoes, reserving juice in a large bowl. Crush tomatoes with your hands and add to juice.

　　

Step 2

Cook onions in oil in pot over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until softened, about 10 minutes. Add garlic and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened, about 2 minutes. Stir in tomatoes with their juice, 4 teaspoons salt, and 1 teaspoon pepper. Simmer sauce, uncovered, stirring occasionally, until slightly thickened, 45 minutes to 1 hour. Season with salt.

　　

Make meatballs while sauce simmers:

Step 3

Cook onions in extra-virgin olive oil in a 12-inch heavy skillet over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until softened, about 10 minutes. Add garlic and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened, about 3 minutes. Transfer to a large bowl to cool.

　　

Step 4

Soak bread in milk in another bowl until soft, about 5 minutes. Firmly squeeze bread to remove excess milk, discarding milk.

　　

Step 5

Stir together cooled onion mixture, bread, eggs, parmesan, parsley, oregano, lemon zest, 5 1/2 teaspoons salt, and 1 1/2 teaspoons pepper until combined. Add meats to bread mixture, gently mixing with your hands until just combined (do not overmix).

　　

Step 6

Form meat mixture into about 70 (1 1/2-inch) balls with dampened hands, arranging meatballs on 2 large baking sheets or in shallow baking pans.

　　

Step 7

Heat olive or vegetable oil (1 cup) in a 12-inch heavy skillet (preferably nonstick) over medium-high heat until hot but not smoking, then brown meatballs in 4 or 5 batches (without crowding), turning frequently, about 5 minutes per batch. Return to baking sheets.

　　

Step 8

Add meatballs to sauce and gently simmer, covered, stirring occasionally, until cooked through, 20 to 30 minutes. (If pot is not large enough, divide meatballs and sauce between 2 pots.)

　　

Prepare pasta:

Step 9

Cook spaghetti in 2 batches in pasta insert in boiling salted water (3 tablespoon salt for 6 qt water) until just al dente, draining and tossing each batch with some of sauce in a large serving dish.

　　

Step 10

Serve with meatballs, remaining sauce, and grated cheese.

　　Cooks' Notes

　　•Meatballs can be made and simmered in sauce 5 days ahead and chilled (covered once cool).

　　•Meatballs with sauce can be frozen in an airtight container or heavy-duty sealable bags up to 3 months.