Spaghetti and Meatballs

You may wonder why I am blogging something so mundane as spaghetti and meatballs. But this is one of our son's and my favorite meals, and he asked for this meal for his birthday. Because there are so many different variations around, it can be daunting to know what to do. Here; this is straightforward and dependable and absolutely delicious.Sauce:
1 small onion, finely diced
2 stalks celery, finely diced
1 carrot, finely diced
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 tsp herbes de Provence, or Italian herbs
1 28-oz can crushed tomatoes
1 28-oz cans diced tomatoes, or whole tomatoes broken up by hand
1 Tbsp sugar
½ tsp salt
¼ tsp red pepper flakes
1 cup red wine
1 6-oz can tomato paste
palmful of fresh basil leaves (if available)

Meatballs:
2 lb ground beef
½ cup Italian bread crumbs
1/3 cup Parmesan cheese
2 Tbsp Worcestershire sauce
¼ cup ketchup
1 small onion, minced
1 tsp garlic powder
½ tsp salt
¼ tsp black pepper
1 egg

1 lb spaghetti

Prepare sauce by sautéing onion, celery and carrot in a bit of olive oil in a sturdy 4-5 quart pot. Cook about 10 minutes, then add garlic and herbes. Cook another 2 minutes. Add the remaining ingredients and mix well. Set to simmer for at least an hour.

Meanwhile prepare the meatballs by mixing the meatball ingredients well together with your hands. Form into 1- to 1 1/2-inch meatballs. Heat a bit of olive oil in a large non-stick skillet. Brown meatballs on all sides for about 8-10 minutes (you’ll have to work in batches). As you brown batches, fold meatballs gently into the simmering sauce, as you finish browning the remaining meatballs.

Prepare spaghetti according to package directions. Reserve a few ladles of pasta water. Drain spaghetti and tip into a large serving bowl. Add a few ladles of sauce, and a bit of pasta water and mix well. Top with meatballs and more sauce.