Porcupine Meatballs: we're talking huge meatballs filled with lots of rice, simmered in a rich tomato sauce. Home cooking doesn't get much better than this!
Combine all the ingredients for the meatballs in a large mixing bowl and knead well with clean hands to fully combine.
Form into 15 to 18 meatballs, roughly the size of a squash ball (a large spring-loaded ice cream scoop really helps to do this quickly and efficiently).
Place a heavy bottomed skillet over medium-high heat and add a few tablespoons of cooking fat or oil to it. Once hot, sear the meatballs in batches, about 6-8 at a time, until they get nice and browned all around, then transfer them to a large stockpot while you work on the rest of the meatballs.
Once all the meatballs have been seared, add the diced tomatoes, water, Worcestershire sauce, spices and bay leaf to the stock pot. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat, cover loosely and cook the meatballs for about 25 minutes on a slow simmer, stirring very delicately from time to time. Then, remove the lid and continue cooking for about 10 to 15 minutes, until the sauce has thickened to your liking.
Serve, garnished with a handful of chopped parsley if desired.