Meatballs in tomato sauce and pasta

Chop the onion, celery, and carrot finely.

Let the onion sauté nicely in the oil and lightly color, add the carrot and celery and let them cook a bit more.

Add the garlic and the bacon cut in half, add the bouquet of herbs and let everything cook well together with the tomato paste.

Deglaze with the broth, passata, season with pepper and salt, and let simmer for at least 30 minutes under a closed lid, meanwhile make the meatballs.

Cut the crusts off the bread and soak the white crumb in milk in a deep plate.

Put the minced meat in a bowl and season with pepper and salt, add 1 egg and the breadcrumbs.

Squeeze the bread a bit and add it to the minced meat, knead well together, if the mixture is still too dry add a bit more breadcrumbs.

Cut the mozzarella into small cubes.

Make balls the size of a golf ball.

Make a dent in it with your finger and insert a cube of mozzarella, pinch it closed and roll it again.

Fry them all nicely golden brown all around in foaming butter.

Grate the Parmesan cheese.

Remove the bouquet of herbs and bacon from the sauce and blend everything finely, add extra broth if the sauce is too thick, taste and season if necessary.

Add the fried meatballs and let simmer gently for another 20 minutes.

Cook the pasta as indicated on the package.

Divide the pasta onto the plates, add a generous scoop of sauce with meatballs on top and finish with the grated Parmesan cheese.