Italian Meatballs in Tomato Sauce (Polpette in Sugo)

Get ready. In a small bowl, stir together the breadcrumbs and milk. Let sit until the bread has softened, about 5 minutes. Line a large plate or baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside.

Make the meatball mixture. Squeeze the breadcrumbs to remove excess milk, then transfer them to a large bowl. Add the ground beef, parsley, garlic, egg, cheeses, wine, and a generous pinch of salt. Mix by hand or with a spatula until thoroughly combined.

Form the meatballs. Pinch off pieces of the mixture—slightly larger than a golf ball—and form them into 12 balls (about 2-inches in diameter). Set the meatballs on the prepared baking sheet as you go.

Brown the meatballs. In a large heavy-bottomed saucepan or Dutch oven, heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil on medium until the oil shimmers. Add half of the meatballs and carefully sear, turning until they’re lightly browned on all sides, about 5 minutes in total. Repeat the second half, returning the browned meatballs to the lined plate as you go.

Start the sauce. Lower the heat to medium-low and add 2 more tablespoons olive oil to the pan where you browned the meatballs. Stir in the onion and cook until softened, about 5 minutes. Stir in the tomato passata, carrot, and a pinch of red pepper flakes (if using). Pour 1 cup water into the empty passata bottle or can and swish it around, then pour this into the pan, stirring to combine everything.

Simmer the meatballs. Carefully arrange the meatballs in the pan in a single layer. Raise the heat to medium, then cover the pan partially to bring the sauce to a simmer. Cook for 15 minutes, adjusting the heat to maintain a gentle simmer. Remove the lid and simmer on medium-low heat until the sauce is nicely thickened and the meatballs are cooked through, about 15 minutes more.

Finish the sauce. Tear or roughly chop the basil leaves and gently stir them into the pan. You can discard the leftover carrot, which has now done its part in naturally sweetening the sauce–or snack on it as a cook's bonus!

Serve. Transfer the meatballs to shallow serving bowls or deep plates and spoon some sauce on top. Sprinkle with freshly grated parmesan cheese and serve.