Frank Sinatra clowning around with spaghetti (Photo by CBS Photo Archive/Getty Images)
Frank Sinatra's favourite dish as cooked by his mother
Ingredients
For the Meatballs:
500g minced meat, 1/2 pork, 1/2 beef
1 clove garlic (chopped fine)
1/2 cup grated Parmesan
1 cup bread crumbs
2 eggs
1 teaspoon finely chopped parsley
Salt and pepper to taste
For the Sauce:
1/2 cup olive oil
1 small onion
1 clove garlic
1 tin tomatoes
1 tablespoon tomato purée
1 teaspoon ground parsley
Thyme
Salt
Black pepper
Directions
For the meatballs: Mix all ingredients well, form into balls, brown in plenty of oil, and put aside until sauce is made.
For the sauce: Chop the onion and garlic, and brown in the same oil used to brown the meatballs.
Meanwhile, crush the tomatoes in their juice (if using whole) and combine with the purée before adding to the pan.
Season with salt, pepper, thyme, and parsley.
Add the meatballs back into the pot, cover, and cook for about 1 hour over a low heat.
15 minutes before serving, cook spaghetti in boiling water, salted to taste, according to package instructions.
Spread a layer of sauce on a plate, then add spaghetti. Add a layer of cheese, another layer of sauce, and repeat.