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Ingredients
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Meatballs
House Marinara Sauce
Pasta & Assembly
Method
Meatballs
- 1
Prepare meatball mixture
In a large mixing bowl, combine breadcrumbs and milk. Let soak for 1–2 minutes until softened. Add ground beef, egg, parmesan, garlic, parsley, salt, and black pepper. Gently mix until just combined, avoiding overmixing.
- 2
Form and brown meatballs
Shape mixture into 1½-inch meatballs. Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Brown meatballs on all sides, about 6–8 minutes total. They do not need to be fully cooked through at this stage. Transfer to a plate and set aside.
House Marinara Sauce
- 3
- 4
Simmer sauce
Stir in crushed tomatoes, tomato paste, oregano, basil, sugar, salt, and black pepper. Bring to a gentle simmer. Add browned meatballs to the sauce, cover partially, and simmer for 20–25 minutes until meatballs are fully cooked and sauce is rich and thickened.
Pasta & Assembly
- 5
Cook spaghetti
Bring a large pot of water to a rolling boil. Add salt, then spaghetti. Cook according to package instructions until al dente. Reserve ½ cup of pasta water, then drain.
- 6
Combine and serve
Toss drained spaghetti with a portion of the marinara sauce, adding reserved pasta water as needed for consistency. Plate pasta, top with meatballs and additional sauce, and finish with grated parmesan and fresh herbs. Serve hot.



