Meatballs alla Columbo

1 C Italian breadcrumbs

3 to 4 T milk

1 lb. ground beef

1/2 lb. ground pork

1/2 lb. Italian sausage, removed from casing

1 white onion, minced fine or blended

4 cloves garlic, minced

2 eggs, beaten well

1 C grated parmesan cheese

1/2 C chopped Italian parsley, divided

1 T salt

1 T pepper

Mix the milk and the breadcrumbs with your hands and let the breadcrumbs soak up the milk. Put beef, pork and sausage in a large bowl. Add the minced onion, the minced garlic, the beaten eggs, the grated Parmesan, 1/4 C of the chopped parsley, the salt and pepper and then break up the soaked breadcrumbs well and sprinkle around. Mix well with your hands. Mix very, very well until the mixture is smooth. Roll the mixture into 1 inch balls. Heat a skillet with 1/4 C olive oil in it. Place the meatballs, in batches, into the hot oil and turn them so they brown all the way around but don’t cook through. Now drop the browned meatballs into whatever tomato sauce you are using and let them simmer for at least 30 minutes. Serve with the remaining chopped parsley alone or with pasta.