Classic Spaghetti and Meatballs with Tomato and Sage Sauce

Ingredients:
3 ¾” thick slices Italian bread with crusts (each 3x5”)
Milk
1 lb ground sirloin
2 TB (packed) grated Parmesan cheese
1 lg egg
1 TB minced fresh Italian parsley
1 lg garlic clove, minced
1 tsp salt
½ tsp ground black pepper
2 TB olive oil
Tomato-Sausage Sauce
1 lb spaghetti, freshly cooked
Additional grated Parmesan cheese

Preparation:
Place bread in medium bowl; cover with milk. Let stand until bread is soft, about 10’. Place meat in large bowl. Mix in 2 TB cheese and next 5 ingredients. Squeeze bread almost dry; discard milk. Blend bread into meat mixture. Using 1 rounded TB for each, shape mixture into 24 meatballs. Heat oil in heavy large skillet over medium heat. Add meatballs; sauté until brown and cooked through, turning often to hold shape, about 15‘. Add meatballs and drippings in skillet to pot of Tomato-Sausage Sauce. Simmer to blend flavors, about 10’.
Place pasta in large bowl. Add 1 ½ C sauce and toss to coat. Top with meatballs and remaining sauce. Serve with additional Parmesan cheese

Tomato-sausage sauce
(5 C)

Ingredients:
6 TB olive oil
4 spicy Italian sausages, pierced several times with toothpick
1 lg onion, finely chopped
4 lg garlic cloves, minced
1 ½ 28oz cans crushed tomatoes with added puree
¼ C chopped fresh Italian parsley
2 small bay leaves
2 tsp dried basil
2 tsp dried oregano

Preparation:
Heat oil in heavy large pot over medium-high heat. Add sausages, onion, and garlic. Sauté until onion begins to color, about 10’. Add crushed tomatoes and herbs and bring sauce to boil. Reduce heat to medium-low, cover, and simmer until flavors blend and sausages are cooked through, stirring often, about 30’. Season with salt and pepper. Slice sausages thinly, if desired.