In a large bowl, combine the ground beef, egg, grated parmesan, breadcrumbs, milk, basil, parsley, black pepper, and salt. Mix gently with your hands until well combined but avoid overmixing. Roll the mixture into small meatballs, about 1 inch in diameter. Set them aside on a plate while you prepare to cook them.

Heat 2 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil in a large sauté pan over medium-high heat. Once the oil shimmers, add the meatballs to the pan in a single layer. Cook for about 8 minutes, turning occasionally until they are browned on all sides and fully cooked through. Remove the meatballs from the pan and set aside.

In the same pan, lower the heat to medium and add the diced yellow onion and minced garlic. Sauté for about 4 minutes, stirring frequently until the onion is translucent and fragrant.

Add the ditalini pasta to the pan and toast it for about 1 minute, stirring well to coat it in the flavorful oil. Then, pour in the chicken stock and jarred marinara sauce, followed by a pinch of crushed red pepper if using. Stir everything together, cover, and let it simmer for about 10 minutes, stirring occasionally to prevent sticking.

Once the ditalini is cooked al dente and most of the liquid has evaporated, remove the pan from heat. Stir in the remaining grated parmesan cheese until melted and evenly distributed. Serve your One Pot Meatball Pasta hot, garnished with additional parmesan on top.