Meatball Sliders Recipe

Add the pureed tomato, 1 teaspoon sugar, bay leaf, and 1½ teaspoons salt to the pot. Bring to a simmer, then reduce the heat and cook, uncovered, stirring occasionally, until the sauce has thickened, about 40 to 50 minutes. Remember to discard the bay leaf before serving.

While the sauce simmers, start on the meatballs. In a large bowl, stir together the 3 cups bread crumbs and ⅔ cup milk, then let the mixture stand for 10 minutes to soften the crumbs.

To the bread crumb mixture, add the 1 pound ground pork, 1 pound ground beef, 5 cloves garlic (minced or grated), 1½ cups Parmesan cheese, 2 large eggs, ½ cup parsley, ½ teaspoon oregano, ½ teaspoon marjoram, ½ teaspoon salt, and ½ teaspoon pepper. Mix everything until it's just combined; be careful not to overmix, or the meatballs can get tough.

Form the mixture into meatballs, using about ¼ cup for each one.