Veal and Ricotta Meatballs in Tomato Sauce

To start the meatballs, wrap the ricotta in cheese-cloth. Place it in a sieve set over a bowl. Weight the cheese, and refrigerate overnight to drain.

In a large bowl, combine the drained cheese, ground veal, eggs and 1 cup of Parmigiano- Reggiano. Season the mixture with 1 tablespoon of salt, a generous amount of freshly ground black pepper and a few gratings of nutmeg. Vigorously mix (it's best to use your hands) until completely smooth, pale, and homogenized, about 4 minutes.

Test the seasoning by poaching a pinch of the mixture in simmering water (this is a truer test of the level of seasoning than frying). It should taste assertively salty (braising the meatballs in tomato sauce tames the seasoning). If the sample is too bland, add a little more salt. It is best to chill the mixture thoroughly before shaping into meatballs.

Dust a baking sheet and your hands with flour. Keep the remaining flour nearby in a bowl. Gently form the meat into balls about 2 1/2 inches in diameter, flouring your hands again each time you finish one meatball and move onto the next (alternatively use a floured ice cream scoop to form the meat balls). Reserve the meatballs on the floured baking sheet. There is enough mixture to make 9 meatballs, 2 per person (plus an extra for the cook). Cover the meatballs with plastic wrap and chill or freeze.

To make the sauce, combine the oil and garlic cloves in a large pot and heat over low until the garlic is fragrant, about 5 minutes.

Increase the heat to high and add the tomatoes and their juices. Season with salt and pepper and allow the sauce to come to a boil. Lower the heat to medium and let the sauce simmer until the oil separates floats on the surface, about 30 minutes.

Cut the butter into tablespoons, then emulsify it into the sauce using a hand-held blenderm (if you don't have a hand-held blender, you can use a regular blender). Blend in the basil, and adjust the seasoning with salt and pepper. (The sauce is very good on its own -- serve immediately or refrigerate for up to 1 week or freeze.) Wait to season the sauce until after adding the meatballs.

To finish the meatballs, heat about 1 1/2 inches of oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. When the oil is hot begin carefully frying the meatballs in batches, moving them as little as possible. Cook the meatballs until the bottoms are nicely browned, about 2 minutes, then gently turn them. Continue frying until the meatballs are browned all over, about 2 minutes more. Remove the meatballs from the oil with a slotted spoon and carefully add them to the warm tomato sauce.

Finish cooking the meatballs in the tomato sauce, gently simmering over medium-low heat for at least 30 minutes (they can remain in the sauce for hours without ill effect). Taste the sauce and adjust the seasoning with salt and pepper. Serve the meatballs in sauce alone or over pasta.