Stuffed Italian Meatballs with Spaghetti

Make the meatballs

Roll the minced meat into balls of about 120-140 g each. Cut a block of Parmesan cheese into bite-sized pieces and keep the peas close at hand. Take a meatball in one hand, press a hollow in the center with your other hand, and stuff it with a few pieces of Parmesan cheese and some peas. Mold the meat around the filling and roll the ball perfectly round again. Heat a splash of olive oil in a large stewpot or deep pan. Give the balls a golden-brown crust all around. Scoop them out of the pot and use the pot to make the sauce.

Make the Italian tomato sauce

Finely chop the shallots and garlic. Briefly sauté them in the cooking fat from the meatballs and add the tomato puree (or diced tomatoes). Heat the sauce up a bit and stir in the pre-fried meatballs. Also add a large sprig of basil to the pot. Season with some pepper and salt and let everything simmer for about 15 minutes over low heat. Remove the sprig of basil from the sauce. Taste and add a pinch of sugar to taste.

Make the pasta

Cook the spaghetti until al dente in plenty of water with a pinch of salt. Drain and, if desired, stir in a splash of olive oil.

Garnish the plates with tufts of basil and, if desired, some extra crumbs of Parmesan cheese. Enjoy your meal!