Prepare the panade: In a small bowl, pour the milk over the breadcrumbs and let them sit for 5 minutes. They'll absorb the liquid and become a soft, porridge-like paste—this is the secret to tender meatballs, as it keeps the beef from tightening up during cooking.

Mix the meatball base: In a large mixing bowl, combine the beef mince, grated onion, minced garlic, beaten egg, soaked breadcrumbs, Parmesan, parsley, oregano, salt, and pepper. Use your hands to gently fold everything together—stop as soon as it's combined, or the meat will become tough. You'll feel the mixture turn slightly sticky and cohesive, but it should still feel light.

Roll the meatballs: With damp hands (to prevent sticking), roll the mixture into golf ball-sized rounds, about 40g each. Place them on a tray lined with baking paper. You should get around 20-24 meatballs. Their surface should be smooth and even—no cracks, or they'll fall apart in the sauce.

Sear the meatballs: Heat the olive oil in a large, deep frying pan or Dutch oven over a medium-high flame. Once the oil shimmers and a test piece of meat sizzles on contact, add the meatballs in a single layer (you may need to do this in two batches). Sear for 3-4 minutes per side, turning gently with tongs, until they're a deep, caramelised brown all over. You'll hear a satisfying sizzle, and the kitchen will fill with a nutty, savoury aroma. Don't cook them through—just brown the outside.

Start the marinara sauce: Remove the meatballs from the pan and set aside. Reduce the heat to medium. Add the tomato purée to the pan and stir for 1 minute—it will darken and smell intensely rich. Pour in the tinned tomatoes, sugar, and bay leaf. Stir to combine, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom of the pan (that's pure flavour).

Simmer the meatballs in sauce: Gently return the seared meatballs to the pan, nestling them into the sauce. Bring to a gentle simmer—you want small, lazy bubbles, not a furious boil. Cover the pan with a lid slightly ajar, and let it cook for 30 minutes. The sauce will thicken and deepen in colour to a rich brick red, and the meatballs will finish cooking through, absorbing the sauce's flavour. Stir once or twice very gently to prevent sticking.

Finish and rest: Remove the bay leaf. Taste the sauce and adjust seasoning with salt or a pinch more sugar if needed. Let the pan sit off the heat for 5 minutes—this resting time allows the juices to redistribute, so the meatballs stay tender when you serve them. Garnish with torn fresh basil and extra Parmesan.