Italian Meatballs in Tomato Sauce with Mozzarella and Spaghetti

Soak the breadcrumbs in the milk in a small bowl and let stand for 5 minutes to soften.

In a bowl, combine the minced beef, minced pork, soaked breadcrumbs, egg, half the grated onion, one chopped garlic clove, the parmesan, oregano, half the chopped basil, salt, and pepper. Mix lightly by hand - avoid overworking it.

Shape the mixture into 16-18 meatballs, about the size of a golf ball.

Heat olive oil in a large pan over medium heat and brown the meatballs on all sides for about 5 minutes, until golden outside, working in two batches if the pan gets crowded so they brown rather than steam - they don't need to be cooked through yet. Remove from the pan and set aside.

In the same pan, soften the remaining onion and garlic for 3-4 minutes. Add the canned tomatoes, sugar, salt, and pepper, and let it simmer gently for a few minutes.

Return the meatballs to the sauce, lower the heat, and let everything simmer for at least 10-12 minutes, stirring gently now and then. They're done once no pink remains in the centre - cut one open to check, or use a meat thermometer and look for at least 71-74°C in the middle.

Remove the pan from the heat, scatter the mozzarella pieces over the top, and let them melt in the residual heat for 1-2 minutes.

While the sauce simmers, cook the spaghetti in well-salted water according to the package instructions. Drain when done.

Divide the spaghetti among plates, spoon the meatballs and sauce over the top, and finish with the remaining fresh basil.