Begin by moistening the bread with a few splashes of water. Feel the texture change as you squeeze out as much excess water as possible. Break it apart with your hands and transfer it to a bowl.

Add the eggs, cheese, garlic, and parsley to the bowl. Add the beef, sausage, instant rice, black pepper, and salt. Mir with your hands until well combined. Fry or microwave a small piece of the mixture to taste it. Adjust the seasonings if needed.

Roll the mixture into tablespoon-sized balls.

Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a wide pot over medium heat. Add the meatballs and cook for 3–4 minutes per side until browned all over. Transfer to a platter. Drain off excess fat, leaving any fond in the bottom of the pot.

Return the pot to medium heat. Pour in the tomato sauce and bring to a boil. Return the meatballs to the sauce. Cover and reduce the heat to low. Simmer for 1 hour. Taste and adjust the seasonings to your preference.

Serve the meatballs with pasta or on meatball subs. Garnish with more grated Romano cheese and a few basil leaves if you like. Enjoy!