Cruciani’s Italian Spaghetti & Meatballs

This recipe was handed down from my Great Gramma, Mary Nesta. Gramma Nesta came to America from Italy in early 1900. Italian Spaghetti & Meatballs is our favorite dinner.

Ready In:

2 – 4 hrs

Good For:

Main Dish

 

Cruciani’s Italian Spaghetti & Meatballs

By: Mark Cruciani

 

Ingredients

Meatball Mix

  • 3 lbs. of ground hamburger
  • 1 lb. of ground pork
  • 3/4 sleeve of saltine crackers (with or without salt)
  • 3 whole eggs (break the eggs and add when you mix everything together)
  • 3 tablespoons of sweet Basil
  • 1 pinch of cayenne red pepper (more if you like it HOT – be careful though!)
  • Onions (minced or diced)

Mix everything together. Then “hand roll”, making round meatballs. Broil meatballs in oven. Place in broiler, 9 minutes to start, turn meatballs over, 9 additional minutes.

Spaghetti Sauce

  • 2 – 32 ounce cans of tomato juice
  • 2 – 8 ounce cans of tomato paste (additional can of tomato paste if you like thick sauce)
  • 3 tablespoons of sweet Basil
  • 1 pinch of cayenne red pepper (more if you like it HOT – be careful though!)

Mix and add these sauce ingredients into a Slow Cooker.

Step by Step Instructions

Step 1

Once meatballs have been broiled, place them in the Slow Cooker with spaghetti sauce. Cook for as long as you like, but I recommend at least 2-4 hours before serving.  You want to get the spices working!

Step 2

All you need now are your spaghetti noodles and you are ready for an Italian Feast! Enjoy from my family to yours.