Cut the onion and carrot in small pieces. Add them to a small personal blender with a splash of water and blend until smooth. This is your soffritto base.

Place a large pot on medium-low heat. Pour in 4–5 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil. Once warm, add the blended soffritto. Stir gently and let it cook for about 7 minutes until soft and fragrant.

Blend the peeled tomatoes in your blender. Do not add the liquid from the can yet. Blend only the tomatoes until smooth.

Add the leftover tomato liquid directly into the pot with the soffritto. Then pour in the blended tomatoes and stir well to combine.

Break the celery stick in half and add it whole into the sauce. Let the sugo cook on medium-low heat for 45 minutes to 1 hour. Stir occasionally and allow it to gently simmer.

Place the ground beef into a large bowl. Add the grated Pecorino Romano and the egg yolk.

Season with salt and pepper to taste. If you love cheese like I do, you can add a little extra. Mix everything gently with your hands until fully combined.

Lightly wet your hands in a small bowl of water. This prevents sticking.

Roll the meatball mixture into tiny meatballs, about 1cm in size, roughly the size of a pea or small marble. Keep them small and uniform.

Place the formed mini meatballs onto a plate lined with baking paper. Set aside.

Before cooking the meatballs, spoon a portion of the finished sauce into a separate large pan. This is where the meatballs will finish cooking. Set the remaining sauce aside for the pasta.

Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add 1 tablespoon of rock salt.

Gently drop the mini meatballs into the boiling water. Cook for about 1 minute, or until they begin to float. Do not discard the boiling water. We will use it to cook the pasta later.

Using strainer, remove the meatballs and transfer them directly into the pan with the reserved sauce.

Place the pan over medium-low heat and let the meatballs gently simmer in the sauce for about 10 minutes. Stir carefully using a wooden spoon so they stay intact.

Once the sauce has finished cooking, remove and discard the celery stick.

Taste and adjust the salt if needed. Turn off the heat. Tear fresh basil leaves with your hands and stir them into the sauce.

Bring the same pot used for the meatballs back to a boil. Add the fresh Spaghetti alla Chitarra. Since the water is already salted, there is no need to add more salt. Cook for about 2 minutes, or until al dente.

Before you drain, reserve a mug of pasta water.

Transfer the cooked pasta directly into the large pot with the main sauce. Place it back over low heat and gently toss to coat.