Meatballs: Place eggs, tomato sauce, garlic, Italian seasoning, onion salt, and pepper in a bowl. Mix well; set aside. Place the ground meats, bread crumbs, and Parmesan cheese in a large bowl. Add egg mixture. Combine very lightly with a fork. Add additional bread crumbs if necessary to reach desired consistency. Using your hands, lightly form the mixture into 1-inch meatballs (1-ounce). You will have 40 to 46 meatballs. Pour enough olive oil into a large (12-inch) skillet to coat the bottom. Heat the oil. Very carefully, in batches, place the meatballs in the oil and brown them well on all sides over medium-low heat in a covered pan, turning carefully with a spatula or a fork. This should take 15 to 20 minutes for each batch. Don't crowd the meatballs. Remove the meatballs to a plate covered with paper towels. Set aside. (Note: Meatballs can be prepared up to this point and frozen for later use.) Sauce: Heat the olive oil in a Dutch oven. Add the onion and sauté over medium heat until translucent, 5 to 10 minutes. Add the garlic and cook for 1 more minute. Add crushed tomatoes, petit diced tomatoes, tomato purée, Italian seasoning, salt, pepper, and brown sugar. Bring to a boil. Cover and lower heat to medium low. Simmer for 3 to 4 hours, stirring occasionally. Purée with an immersion blender to desired consistency. (Note: Sauce can be prepared up to this point and frozen for later use.) Return the meatballs to the sauce, cover, and simmer on medium low heat for 15 to 20 minutes, until the meatballs are warmed through. Serve hot on cooked spaghetti with grated Parmesan cheese, a green salad and garlic bread. Yield: 8 to 10 servings. |