Finely chop the onion and carrot, then blend them with a splash of water until smooth to create your soffritto base.

In a large pot over medium-low heat, add 4–5 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil. Once heated, incorporate the blended soffritto and cook for about 7 minutes until it becomes soft and aromatic.

Blend the peeled tomatoes until smooth, without adding the liquid from the can yet. Pour the leftover tomato liquid into the pot with the soffritto, then add the blended tomatoes and mix well.

Break the celery stick in half and add it whole to the sauce. Allow the sauce to simmer on medium-low heat for 45 minutes to 1 hour, stirring occasionally.

In a large bowl, combine the ground beef, grated Pecorino Romano, and egg yolk. Season with salt and pepper to taste, and mix gently with your hands until well combined.

To prevent sticking, lightly wet your hands in a small bowl of water, then roll the meat mixture into small meatballs, about 1 cm in size, and place them on a plate lined with baking paper.

Before cooking the meatballs, spoon some of the finished sauce into a separate large pan for them to cook in. Set the remaining sauce aside for the pasta.

Bring a large pot of water to a boil and add 1 tablespoon of rock salt. Carefully drop the mini meatballs into the boiling water and cook for about 1 minute, or until they float.

Using a strainer, remove the meatballs and transfer them directly into the pan with the reserved sauce. Heat the pan over medium-low and let the meatballs simmer in the sauce for about 10 minutes, stirring gently with a wooden spoon.

Once the sauce is done, remove and discard the celery stick. Taste the sauce and adjust the salt if necessary, then turn off the heat.

Tear fresh basil leaves by hand and stir them into the sauce.

Bring the same pot used for the meatballs back to a boil and add the fresh Spaghetti alla Chitarra. Cook for about 2 minutes, or until al dente, reserving a mug of pasta water before draining.

Transfer the cooked pasta into the large pot with the main sauce, return it to low heat, and gently toss to coat.