Serves 4 to 6

*To roast garlic: Preheat oven to 400°F. Peel most of the paper away from a whole head of garlic, leaving the head intact and cloves connected. Trim ¼ inch off the top of the head to expose the cloves. Drizzles 2 teaspoons olive oil over the exposed garlic, allowing the oil to seep down into the cloves. Wrap the garlic in aluminum foil and roast in the oven for 40 minutes, or until the center clove is completely soft when pierced with a fork.

In a large mixing bowl, combine the panko and buttermilk and let soak. Add the ground beef, eggs, pecorino, roasted garlic, basil, and mozzarella. Add a few pinches of salt and pepper and incorporate. Roll meatballs into 2-ounce balls and transfer to a baking sheet. Let rest in the refrigerator for an hour.

Preheat the oven to 350°F. Cook the meatballs in the oven for about 20 minutes (they do not need to be fully cooked through). To a sauté pan over medium-high heat, add 3 tablespoons of canola oil and sear the meatballs on all sides. Once seared, add them to the Classic Red Sauce (recipe follows). Let the red sauce and meatballs simmer for 30 minutes.

Serve meatballs with Classic Red Sauce and Italian bread or with your favorite pasta with pecorino, parsley, and a generous drizzle of olive oil.

To a large saucepan over medium heat, add oil, onion, carrot, celery, and garlic. Sauté for about 5 minutes. Add the tomatoes (including juice). Bring sauce up to a boil then reduce heat to simmer. Add oregano, and let the sauce simmer for 2 to 3 hours, stirring occasionally to prevent burning. Add basil. If desired, use an immersion blender to purée until smooth. Add salt and pepper to taste.