Spaghetti and beef meatballs

Fill the saucepan halfway with water and bring it to a boil over high heat. Add a pinch of salt and a drizzle of olive oil to keep the pasta from sticking.

In a bowl, combine the ground beef, breadcrumbs, egg, half the Parmesan, half the finely chopped onion, half the pressed garlic, the dried basil and a pinch of salt. Mix well with your hands until evenly combined.

Shape the mixture into walnut-sized meatballs with your hands. Heat the skillet over medium heat with a drizzle of olive oil. Add the meatballs and brown them 3-4 min per side, until cooked through.

Add the spaghetti to the boiling water and cook for 8-10 min, following the package time. Drain in the colander, saving a little of the cooking water.

In the same skillet as the meatballs (don't empty it), cook the rest of the chopped onion and pressed garlic over medium heat for 2 min. Add the crushed tomatoes and let it simmer over low heat for 10 min.

Add the meatballs to the tomato sauce and stir gently. If the sauce is too thick, add a little pasta water. Let it heat through for 2 min.

Divide the spaghetti among the plates and top with the sauce and meatballs. Sprinkle with the rest of the Parmesan.