The solution: Milk does wonderful things for meatballs, especially when mixed to a paste with fresh bread crumbs. Still better is buttermilk, which, as we had discovered when testing meatloaf recipes (see "Memorable Meat Loaf," September/October 1996), delivers a delicious flavor. Eggs are also important for texture and flavor, their fats and emulsifiers adding moistness and richness. Egg yolks alone work best; the whites just make the mixture sticky and hard to handle, with no benefits. Another contribution to the flavor dimension can be gotten by adding some ground pork to the usual ground beef (usually chuck); we found 1 part pork to 3 parts beef to be about right. Pan-frying (as opposed to broiling, which dried out the meatballs) is the best way to brown the meatballs, an important tip being to wait till the oil is quite hot before first adding the meatballs to the pan.

For good measure: Sauce, of course, is an important part of a good dish of spaghetti and meatballs. Ours is thick and smooth and can be made quickly with canned crushed tomatoes (we recommend Progresso or Muir Glen), garlic, and basil. To capture flavor, we recommend cooking the sauce in the same pan you used to fry the meatballs.

CLASSIC SPAGHETTI AND MEATBALLS

Serves 4 to 6

This streamlined recipe can be on the table in under an hour. In our testing of canned crushed tomatoes (see March/April 1997), we found that Progresso and Muir Glen were the best choices because of their fresh tomato flavor. Redpack and Contadina also showed well in that tasting, but should be considered backup choices.

Meatballs
2 slices white sandwich bread (crusts discarded), torn into small cubes
1/2 cup buttermilk or 6 tablespoons plain yogurt thinned with 2 tablespoons sweet milk
3/4 pound ground chuck mixed with 1/4 pound ground pork or 1 pound ground chuck
1/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
2 tablespoons minced fresh parsley leaves
1 large egg yolk
1 small garlic clove, minced (1 teaspoon)
3/4 teaspoon salt
Ground black pepper
Vegetable oil for pan-frying (about 1 1/4 cups)

Simple Tomato Sauce
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 teaspoon minced garlic
1 can (28 ounces) crushed tomatoes
1 tablespoon minced fresh basil leaves
Salt and ground black pepper

1 pound spaghetti
Freshly grated Parmesan cheese

1. For the meatballs: combine bread and buttermilk in small bowl, mashing occasionally with fork, until smooth paste forms, about 10 minutes.

2. Mix all meatball ingredients, including bread mixture and pepper to taste in medium bowl. Lightly form 3 tablespoons of mixture into 1 1/2-inch round meatballs; repeat with remaining mixture to form approximately 14 meatballs. (Compacting them can make the meatballs dense and hard. Can be placed on large plate, covered loosely with plastic wrap, and refrigerated for several hours.)

3. Bring 4 quarts of water to boil in large pot for cooking pasta.

4. Meanwhile, heat 1/4 -inch vegetable oil over medium-high heat in 10- or 11-inch sauté pan. When edge of meatball dipped in oil sizzles, add meatballs in single layer. Fry, turning several times, until nicely browned on all sides, about 10 minutes, regulating heat as needed to keep oil sizzling but not smoking. Transfer browned meatballs to paper towel–lined plate; set aside. Repeat, if necessary, with remaining meatballs.

5. For the sauce, discard oil in pan, leaving behind any browned bits. Add olive oil along with garlic; sauté, scraping up any browned bits, just until garlic is golden, about 30 seconds. Add tomatoes, bring to boil, and simmer gently until sauce thickens, about 10 minutes. Stir in basil; add salt and pepper to taste. Add meatballs and simmer, turning them occasionally, until heated through, about 5 minutes. Keep warm over low flame.

6. Meanwhile, add 1 tablespoon salt and pasta to boiling water. Cook until al dente, drain, and return to pot. Ladle several large spoonfuls of tomato sauce (without meatballs) over spaghetti and toss until noodles are well coated. Divide pasta among individual bowls and top each with a little more tomato sauce and 2 to 3 meatballs. Serve immediately with grated cheese passed separately.