Spaghetti and meatballs

Preparing the ingredients:

1. 1Finely grate the parmesan.
2. 2Finely chop the parsley.
3. 3Finely chop the garlic.
4. 4Cut the carrot and celery into small dice.

Preparing the meatballs:

1. 5Pour the parmesan, breadcrumbs, and milk into a bowl, then mix until the breadcrumbs are well soaked.
2. 6Add the ground meat and parsley, season with salt and pepper.
3. 7Mix well until you get a smooth filling.
4. 8Pour a generous amount of olive oil onto a baking sheet.
5. 9Shape meatballs slightly smaller than a golf ball and place them on the sheet.
6. 10Bake at 180°C for 25 to 30 minutes.

Preparing the sauce:

1. 11In a saucepan, add a generous amount of olive oil and heat over medium-high heat.
2. 12Add the celery, carrot, and garlic.
3. 13Season with salt and cook for 10 to 12 minutes.
4. 14Add the tomato passata and bring to a light simmer.
5. 15When the sauce starts to simmer, add the basil and mix well.
6. 16Cook the sauce for 25 minutes, then remove the basil and add the cooked meatballs to the sauce.

Cooking the pasta and plating the dish:

1. 17Cook the pasta according to the package instructions.
2. 18Once the pasta is cooked, drain it and mix it into the sauce.
3. 19Serve piping hot, then garnish with a drizzle of olive oil, grated parmesan, and a few basil leaves.