Spaghetti and Meatballs
 -- from America's Test Kitchen

The shaped meatballs can be covered with plastic wrap and refrigerated for several hours ahead of serving time, if you like. Fry the meatballs and make the sauce at the last minute.  Serves 4 to 6.

Meatballs
2 slices white sandwich bread
crusts discarded), torn into small pieces
1/2 cup buttermilk
1 pound ground meat
preferably 3/4 pound ground chuck and 1/4 pound ground pork)
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
2 tablespoons minced fresh parsley
1 egg yolk
1 teaspoon finely minced garlic
3/4 teaspoon salt
Ground black pepper
About 1 1/4 cups vegetable oil for pan-frying

Smooth Tomato Sauce

2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 teaspoon minced garlic
1 (28-ounce) can crushed tomatoes
1 tablespoon minced fresh basil
Salt and ground black pepper

1 pound spaghetti
Freshly grated Parmesan cheese

1. For the meatballs: Combine bread and buttermilk in small bowl and let stand, mashing occasionally with fork, until smooth paste forms, about 10 minutes.

2. Place ground meat, cheese, parsley, egg yolk, garlic, salt, and pepper to taste in medium bowl. Add bread-milk mixture and combine until evenly mixed. Shape 3 tablespoons of mixture into 1 1/2-inch-round meatball. (When forming meatballs use a light touch. If you compact the meatballs too much, they can become dense and hard.) You should be able to form about 14 meatballs.

3. Pour vegetable oil into 10- or 11-inch sauté pan to depth of 1/4 inch. Turn flame to medium-high. After several minutes, test oil with edge of meatball. When oil sizzles, add meatballs in single layer. Fry, turning several times, until nicely browned on all sides, about 10 minutes (see illustration below). Regulate heat as needed to keep oil sizzling but not smoking. Transfer browned meatballs to plate lined with paper towels and set aside.

4. Bring 4 quarts water to a boil in large pot for pasta.

5. For the sauce: Meanwhile, discard oil in pan but leave behind any browned bits. Add olive oil for tomato sauce along with garlic and sauté over medium heat, scraping up browned bits, just until garlic is golden, about 30 seconds. Add tomatoes, bring to boil, and simmer gently until sauce thickens, about 10 minutes. Stir in basil and salt and pepper to taste. Add meatballs and simmer, turning them occasionally, until heated through, about 5 minutes. Keep warm over low flame.

6. Meanwhile, add 1 tablespoon salt and pasta to boiling water. Cook until al dente, drain, and return to pot. Ladle several large spoonfuls of sauce (without meatballs) over spaghetti and toss until noodles are well coated. Divide pasta among individual bowls and top each with a little more tomato sauce and 2 or 3 meatballs. Serve immediately with grated cheese passed separately.