If you are looking for "The Ultimate Generic Meatball" leave out the herbs and cheese. The combination of fatty meats with onions, garlic, salt, pepper and cracker crumbs is sheer perfection - but on a totally different playing field.
The meatballs can also be poached in the sauce instead of cooked in the oven first. The flavour is the same, but the texture is completely different as there is no outer skin on the poached meatballs. Both ways are delicious.