Mario's Meatballs

This is Mario Carbone's famous recipe, and the thing that makes it different is right in the mix. Most meatballs use ground pork. His use sweet Italian sausage, which brings a distinctly Italian American depth you cannot get any other way.

Method

1. 1

   Tear the bread and soak it in milk until mushy, then squeeze out the excess.

2. 2

   Combine the beef, veal and sausage with the soaked bread, eggs, parmigiano, garlic, parsley, salt and pepper. Mix gently with your hands. Overworking it makes them dense.

3. 3

   Roll them large, about a golf ball and a half. Sear in olive oil on all sides until browned. They do not need to cook through yet.

4. 4

   Lower them into the marinara and simmer 20 to 25 minutes, partly covered.

5. 5

   Boil the paccheri in heavily salted water and pull it a minute early.

6. 6

   Plate the pasta, spoon the sauce over, lay the meatballs on and finish with parmigiano and parsley.