Spaghetti and meatballs

Spaghetti and meatballs, what's not to love? Spaghetti and meatballs has
to be one of the most fun dishes ever invented. Mounds of spaghetti, fork
twirling strands in a spoon, tasty meatballs, trying to lift just the right
amount from the bowl—these are some of my favorite memories from
childhood.

This particular spaghetti and meatballs recipe was given to us by Rick

Mindermann of our local Italian grocery store. Rick is one of these
walking encyclopedias of food knowledge, whose enthusiasm for all
things food and cooking is infectious.

I adapted the following recipe slightly from Rick's original, and we love it!
My father even declared the other day that from here on out, this is how
we are making meatballs.

Tips for Making the Best Meatballs

It's all about the meatballs, right? Here are some tips to ensure that yours
are the best:

 Mix the meats: Use a combination of ground beef and Italian pork

sausage for the best flavor.
 Include chopped mushrooms: Mushrooms release moisture while
they cook, so not only does including mushrooms in your meatball
mixture add flavor, it helps keep the meatballs from drying out.
 Use a light hand: Don't over-mix the ingredients or the meatballs
will be tough. Work the ingredients just enough so that the mixture
comes together.
 Cook in batches: Rather than crowd the pan, cook the meatballs
in batches in a single layer.

Why San Marzano Tomatoes?

Your tomato sauce will only be as good as your tomatoes! San Marzano
tomatoes are an Italian variety of plum tomatoes (a.k.a. Roma tomatoes)
with fewer seeds and thicker flesh that are particularly well suited for
tomato sauce.

Canned San Marzanos are pricier than other canned tomatoes but, in my
opinion, well worth it. If you can't find them, just use canned plum or
Roma tomatoes.
Making Ahead and Storing Meatballs
You can make the meatballs and sauce a day or so ahead of time if you
like, and store them in the fridge in a covered container. Just reheat in a
saucepan or in the microwave when it's time to make the spaghetti.

Spaghetti and meatballs will keep for 3 to 4 days covered and in the
fridge. The meatballs will freeze better than the spaghetti, but you can
freeze both.