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1
Fill a large pot with water and bring it to a rolling boil.
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2
Make the sauce: In a large wide, saute pan, heat the olive oil over medium heat.
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3
Add the onions and garlic and season with salt and pepper.
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4
Cook until the onions are tender, 10 to 15 minutes, and then add the plum tomatoes, sugar, and oregano.
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5
Stir to blend and then pour in the canned tomatoes and their juices.
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6
Cook, stirring from time to time, until it comes to a simmer, about 5 minutes, to allow the ingredients to meld together.
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7
Taste for seasoning.
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8
Lower the heat and let the sauce continue to cook as you make the meatballs.
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9
Season to taste with salt and pepper.
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10
Make the meatballs: Put the beef in a large bowl and spread it all over the bottom of the bowl and up the sides a little.
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11
This will help you to distribute the seasoning evenly over the meat.
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12
Sprinkle the meat with the salt and add the bread crumbs, Parmesan cheese, parsley, and red pepper flakes.
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13
Use your hands to mix all of the ingredients together.
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14
Work in 1 of the eggs with your hands.
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15
Roll 1 small ball (about 11/2 to 2 inches in diameter).
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16
Taste test: In a small skillet, heat 1 teaspoon of the canola oil over high heat.
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17
When the oil begins to smoke lightly, shut off the heat (to avoid splattering), and add the meatball.
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18
Put the heat back on high and brown on all sides for a few minutes until cooked but still pink in the middle.
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19
Taste for seasoning and texture.
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20
If too moist, add more bread crumbs.
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21
If too dry, add another beaten egg or a splash of water.
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22
Adjust the salt and red pepper flakes, if needed, as well.
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23
Roll the remaining meat into 11/2-inch diameter meatballs; you should have about 20.
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24
Cook the meatballs: Heat a large skillet over high heat and add the remaining canola oil.
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25
When the oil begins to smoke lightly, shut off the heat and add the meatballs in a single layer, spreading them apart somewhat so they have a chance to brown instead of steaming.
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26
Put the heat back on high and turn the meatballs to brown them on all sides.
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27
Cook to medium-rare, 3 to 5 minutes.
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28
Squeeze the sides of 2 meatballs between your thumb and index finger to make sure they are still tender in the center.
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29
Use a slotted spoon or spatula to remove them from the pan and transfer them to a tray lined with a kitchen towel to drain any excess grease.
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30
Cook the pasta: Season the boiling water with salt until it tastes like seawater.
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31
Bring the water back up to a boil.
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32
Add the pasta to the pot and cook, stirring occasionally with a slotted spoon to make sure it doesn't clump or stick to the bottom as it cooks, until al dente, 8 to 10 minutes.
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33
Drain the pasta in a colander, reserving about 1 cup of the cooking liquid.
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34
Serve the meatballs: Meanwhile, once you drop the pasta in the water, add the meatballs to the sauce and simmer over very low heat, 3 to 5 minutes.
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35
Shut off the heat and allow the sauce and meat to rest as your pasta finishes cooking.
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36
Pour off any excess grease in the skillet used to brown the meatballs, add a ladle of sauce, and warm the pan over low heat.
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37
Stir to catch any browned bits of meat in the skillet.
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38
After a few minutes, pour that sauce back in with the rest.
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39
Stir in a little of the reserved pasta cooking liquid if needed to thin.
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40
Transfer the sauce and meatballs to a large bowl and toss in half of the cooked pasta.
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41
Add about 3/4 cup of the Parmesan cheese.
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42
Stir in the remaining pasta.
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43
Serve with the remaining cheese in a bowl on the side.
