Place the fresh bread crumbs in a medium bowl and pour the whole milk over them. Stir gently and let sit 5 minutes until milk is absorbed and crumbs are soft (panade).

Prepare aromatics

Finely mince the onion and garlic. If you prefer a milder onion flavor, briefly sauté the minced onion in 1 tsp olive oil over medium heat until translucent, then cool before adding.

To the bowl with the soaked crumbs add the ground beef, ground pork, egg, grated Parmesan, minced parsley, minced onion, minced garlic, kosher salt, black pepper, and dried oregano. Using clean hands or a fork, gently combine until just evenly mixed — do not overwork the meat (about 20–30 gentle turns).

Portion the mixture into 3 equal large meatballs (as the menu title indicates a 3-piece serving). For even portions: weigh the mixture and divide into three, or form by hand into balls about 3–3.5 inches (roughly 6–7 oz each). Roll between your palms to create smooth, compact meatballs; avoid compressing too tightly.

Place formed meatballs on a tray or plate and refrigerate for 15–30 minutes to firm up (this helps them hold shape during cooking).

For cooking & finishing

Heat a large sauté pan over medium-high heat. Add 1 tbsp olive oil and 1 tbsp butter. When the butter has melted and the pan is hot (but not smoking), add the meatballs, leaving space between them. Brown on all sides, rolling carefully with tongs, about 2–3 minutes per side until a deep golden crust forms. Work in batches if needed to avoid overcrowding. (The internal temperature will finish cooking in the sauce.)

Remove browned meatballs to a plate. Pour off excess fat from the pan, leaving any fond. Add the remaining 1 tbsp olive oil if pan is dry.

Reduce heat to medium-low and pour the tomato sauce or marinara into the pan, scraping up browned bits from the bottom. Bring the sauce to a gentle simmer.

Nestle the browned meatballs into the simmering sauce. Spoon sauce over the top of each meatball to submerge them about halfway. Cover the pan with a lid or heavy plate and simmer gently for 18–25 minutes, turning the meatballs once halfway through, until internal temperature reaches 160–165°F (71–74°C) and meatballs are cooked through. If sauce becomes too thick, add 1–2 tbsp water.

In the last 2 minutes of cooking, add torn basil to the sauce and swirl in remaining tablespoon of butter (optional) to enrich the sauce.

To serve, transfer 3 meatballs to each plate, spoon warm sauce over them, and sprinkle with extra grated Parmesan. Serve with pasta, polenta, crusty bread, or on their own.