02Heat 1 teaspoon of the olive oil in a saucepan. Add the onions and garlic; cook briefly until wilted. Set aside.03Combine the bread crumbs and milk in a large bowl. Add the meat, onions and garlic, and the egg, nutmeg, cumin, salt, pepper and parsley. Blend well.04Shape the meat into 24 or more meatballs. Set aside.05For the sauce, first cut a small x in the core of the tomatoes, drop the tomatoes into boiling water for about 10 seconds and peel the skins. Cut out and discard the core, chop the tomatoes coarsely. There should be about 3 cups.06Heat 1 tablespoon of the olive oil in a saucepan; add the onions. When the onions are wilted, add the garlic. Cook briefly, add the tomatoes, bay leaf, thyme, and salt and pepper to taste. Cook for about 10 minutes stirring occasionally. Remove the bay leaf and the thyme sprig. Set aside.07Heat the remaining teaspoon of olive oil in a large non-stick skillet. Add the meatballs; cook over medium heat, turning them carefully so they brown evenly. Browning should take about 5 to 6 minutes. Drain the fat.08Add the tomato sauce to the skillet, bring to a simmer, cover, and cook for about 8 to 10 minutes. Serve over noodles.