Spaghetti and meatballs

Spaghetti and meatballs is an Italian-American dish consisting of spaghetti, tomato sauce and meatballs.

Originally inspired by similar dishes from southern Italy, the modern version of spaghetti and meatballs was developed by Italian immigrants in the USA. However, combinations of pasta with meat date back at least to the Middle Ages, and pasta (including long pasta) dishes with tomato sauce and different kinds of meatballs are documented in certain Italian regions and in modern Italian cookbooks as maccheroni alle polpette (translated as "spaghetti with meatballs") and maccheroni alla chitarra con polpette, though these dishes are often found only in particular regions and towns. They are especially popular in certain areas of Southern Italy, from where most Italian immigrants to the United States emigrated, though generally the version served in Southern Italy features smaller meatballs than the current Italian-American and Italian immigrant version.