Name: Spaghetti with Sicilian Meatballs
Yield: Serves 4 to 6
Ingredients: 2 tablespoons olive oil; 1 1/2 cups chopped onion; 2 garlic cloves, minced; 2 28-ounce cans diced tomatoes in juice; 4 tablespoons chopped fresh basil; 2/3 cup fresh breadcrumbs; 3 tablespoons milk; 1/3 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese; 1/4 cup finely chopped onion; 3 tablespoons chopped fresh basil; 1 large egg; 1 garlic clove, minced; 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper; 1 pound sweet Italian sausages, casings removed; 2 tablespoons pine nuts, toasted; 2 tablespoons dried currants; 1 pound spaghetti

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Spaghetti with Sicilian MeatballsNoel Barnhurst

Americans enjoyed most of the food at the scores of Italian restaurants that opened in the twenties, but they couldn't understand the appeal of spaghetti and tomato sauce: Where was the meat? To accommodate, the restaurants began to top the pasta with meatballs. This recipe takes the dish a step further by adding the Sicilian flavors of pine nuts and currants.

Recipe notes

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