• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Butter a 9X13 inch baking dish or spray with nonstick cooking spray; set aside.

Make Meatballs:

• Mix together bread crumbs, eggs, milk, 1/2 cup Romano, and parsley in a large mixing bowl. Add beef, Italian seasoning, salt, and black pepper and mix until everything is evenly combined, being careful not to overwork the beef.
• Roll mixture into cocktail size meatballs then roll each one into flour then shaking off the excess.
• Heat the vegetable oil over medium-high heat, in a large skillet, almost to smoking. Brown the meatballs in batches so as not to crowd the skillet. Continue to cook until all sides of the meatballs are brown. Remove browned meatballs to a paper towel-lined plate.

Pasta:

• Cook ziti in well-salted water, according to package instructions, just to al dente. Drain. Do not rinse.

Sauce:

• While pasta is cooking, heat oil (2 tablespoons) over medium heat in a 12-inch skillet. When the oil shimmers, add onion and sauté, stirring occasionally, until translucent, about 7-9 minutes. Stir in garlic and continue to sauté until fragrant, about 1 minute. Stir in jar pasta sauce, marinara sauce, or Italian Sunday gravy (4 cups preferrably, 5 cups). Allow to cool before assembling.

Assembly:

• Mix basil, sauce mixture from above, and ricotta in a large bowl until combined. Add pasta and meatballs and gently fold until evenly combined.
• Pour into prepared baking dish and sprinkle the top evenly with a layer of mozzarella, then Parmesan, and then remaining Romano. Dot with butter. Place baking dish on a rimmed baking sheet and bake in preheated oven for 40-45 minutes or until the ziti is bubbly, heated through, and the crust is, golden. Let it sit for 10 minutes before serving.