If possible make the tomato sauce ahead of time but if not then start with that and prepare as recipe outlines.

Remove half a cup of the marinara sauce from the pot once it is cooked and set aside to cool.

Preheat the oven to 350 F

In a large bowl grate the onion using a box grater.

Then place the meat over the grated onion (this is not a technique but a way to save your eyes from the onion juice!).

Then add the garlic, bread crumbs, the tomato sauce, parsley, egg, parmesan cheese, salt and pepper.

Mix all of the ingredients together with your hands; stop just when the ingredients have come together, you don’t want to over work the meat.

Then start to roll the meat balls and then place on a nonstick baking sheet.  If you don’t have a good quality nonstick baking sheet line it with parchment or wax paper rather than using oil.

To help make sure the meatballs are uniform in size I divide the meat into 4 portions (the same way I make burgers) and then divide each portion into 3.  The meatballs should be rolled into the size of a golf ball (there will be 12 meatballs).

Bake the meatballs for 25 minutes

Meanwhile put a large pot of water to boil and cook the pasta according to the directions.

If you have made the tomato sauce ahead of time then you will want to warm it up on a low heat.  If you made the sauce fresh then keep the heat on low.

When the meatballs are done in the oven remove them from the baking sheet and place them in the warm tomato sauce.

When the pasta is cooked, strain it and return the noodles to the pot.  Add about half of the tomato sauce and mix well.

Then to plate; divide the pasta evenly on 4 plates and top with 3 meatballs each and top each plate evenly with the remaining sauce.