Meatballs:
2 lbs of ground beef or ground turkey
3 eggs
12-16 leaves of fresh basil chiffonade* (use half for meatballs, reserve half for gravy)
1 cup Italian breadcrumbs
1/2 cup parmigiano reggiano, grated
Salt and pepper

Gravy:
1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
4 cloves garlic, minced
2 cans San Marzano tomato puree
1 can water
Reserved basil chiffonade
Salt and pepper to taste

Package of spaghetti (DeCecco is a good dry one)

First: Put on Dean Martin's Innamorata, followed by another Dino song. And then another. It's the right thing to do.

In a large bowl, place all the ingredients for the meatballs and mix with your hands. Really mush it together. If it seems too dry, add another egg. If it seems too wet, add a little more of the breadcrumbs. When thoroughly mixed, form into golf-ball sized balls.

Heat up olive oil on medium heat in soup pot or dutch oven. Add the meatballs and brown all around til they have a nice crust. Lower the heat to low setting and add garlic. Saute around the meatballs until the aroma of garlic envelops you but before it burns. Do not walk away. As soon as the garlic is fragrant, add the tomato puree, water, reserved basil. Stir to blend. Get the meatballs to bob a little. Lower heat to a simmer. Do not cover. Add a few turns of the pepper grinder and a couple dashes of a nice kosher sea salt.

Simmer for at least 40 minutes but an hour is good too. Check and stir and taste for more salt or pepper. The meatballs will absorb the gravy and also flavor it.

While waiting for the gravy to do its thing, put a big pot on for water to cook the pasta. When it comes to the boil, add your package of spaghetti. I know you know how to cook spaghetti so I won't go into it here. Just don't overcook it.

I also don't need to tell you how to eat it. But, for the unitiated, lots of grated parmesan cheese, a nice Barolo, bread if you want more carbs, butter for the bread if you need more fat...you get the picture.

Serious eats with a lighthearted touch and a new recipe. Inspired by Grandma Terry Centenaro. With love

*The chiffonade: Take each of the washed and trimmed (get rid of the stems) basil leaves. Nice fresh ones without blemishes. If you have a garden, you are lucky. We have too many squirrels. Lay all the leaves on top of one another, largest on bottom, and roll up like a cigar, lengthwise. Then, with a sharp knife, cut across the short end so you make little strips. Light and airy, like chiffon.