Baked Meatballs with Spicy Tomato Sauce

A go-to pantry flavor solution does double duty when we add it to both meatballs and sauce. Depending on your mood and what you have on hand, give the dish a Mexican flair with smoky-spicy chipotle chilies in adobo, or use the spice paste harissa for a taste of North Africa. We roast cherry tomatoes until they burst—their juices mingle with the seasonings to form a luscious sauce. Then we nestle in the meatballs and roast everything in the same pan. Serve with crusty bread for dipping in the sauce. Refrigerate the meatballs before cooking; this firms them up so they’ll hold their shape as they roast.