(COLORADO SPRINGS) — Frankie “Spice” Morelli learned to cook from his mother and grandmother and he is sharing his tips and tricks as well as his life experiences in his book the “MOBB Cookbook & Diet.”

“Simplicity is the key to Italian cooking,” said Morelli. On Friday, May 31 he showed FOX21 Morning News Anchors Abbie Burke and Craig Coffey how to make his perfect pasta sauce. He said the most important thing is the sauce must be made using San Marzano tomatoes. “Other tomatoes have way too much acid.”

He also shared how to master meatballs and said the secret is use heavy cream. “You use five pounds of 80/20 hamburger, you don’t want it too lean you need a little bit of fat. And then you use one pound of coarsely ground pork,” said Morelli. He said the pork gives the meatballs a nice texture.

Morelli said he believes everybody deserves a second chance in life and the MOBB in his cookbook stands for Mercy and Optimism Beyond Borders. His book can be found on Amazon or at Hooked On Books in Colorado Springs. His dishes can also be found at Rosario’s Italian Bistro in Pueblo.