Instructions

Marinara:

Heat a large pot over high heat. Add the olive oil and onions, and cook until the onions are translucent. Stir in garlic and cook for one minute. Add the tomato paste and cook for one to two minutes, stirring to prevent burning. 

Add the red wine, scrape the caramelization from the bottom of the pot, and reduce by half. Add the San Marzano tomatoes, water, bay leaf and thyme, and bring the mixture up to a boil, stirring frequently. 

Once the sauce has achieved a boil, reduce the heat to medium-low and cook for 45 minutes to an hour. Stir in the salt, pepper, sugar and marjoram/oregano, and reduce the heat to low. Cook for another 30-45 minutes until the sauce is thick. Stir in the butter and set the sauce aside to cool. 

 

Cooking onions: 

Heat a medium sized sauté pan over high heat, add the olive oil and onions, and cook until they’re translucent. Once translucent, remove from the heat and allow them to cool fully. 

 

Meatball mixture: 

Add all of the ingredients into a large bowl and mix until they’re evenly distributed within the mixture. 

 

Making the meatballs (makes 18-20): 

Form the ground meat into 1 1/2-inch balls. It is OK to roll the meatballs in your hand or on the table, but do not use a lot of pressure, otherwise your meatballs will be dense. 

 

Cooking the meatballs: 

You can add the meatballs to the marinara for the last hour of cooking if you’d like to add that flavor to the sauce. You can also bake them at 400 degrees for 12-16 minutes on a prepared baking sheet. 

 

For the meal: 

Cook 2-3 pounds of dried pasta, according to the package’s directions. Serve the cooked pasta with the meatballs and sauce, garnished with grated parmesan and fresh basil.