Looking For A Great Italian Sauce Recipe?

Sunday gravy never tasted so good.

Can be prepared in 45 minutes or less.

Ingredients
1 large onion, sliced and diced
4 cloves garlic, minced
1/3-cup olive oil
1 28-ounce can tomato purée
1 18-ounce (or 3 6-ounce) can tomato paste
1-lb stewing beef
1-lb pork spare ribs
1-teaspoon basil
1-teaspoon oregano
1-teaspoon salt
48 oz of water (2 puree cans) (see note)

Instructions

1. Fry the Meat* - Warm the olive oil in a large stew pot over medium-high heat. Sear the stewing beef until browned on all sides, about 10 minutes. Remove and set aside in a bowl.  Sear the spare ribs until browned on all sides, about 10 minutes. Remove and set aside with the beef. (If your pot is large enough, both meats can be browned at the same time in a single layer.)

2. Sauté Onions & Garlic - Add the onions and garlic to the pot. - Reduce heat to low and cook until onions soften and begin to lose their shape, about 5 minutes.

3. Incorporate Tomato Paste - Add the tomato paste. Mash and stir thoroughly into the onion and garlic mixture. Add a 2 cups of warm water and stir. Cover the pot with the lid slightly askew and cook for 10 minutes, stirring every few minutes to prevent the paste from burning.

4. Add Tomato Purée and Water - Pour in the tomato purée and 1½ cans of warm water. Stir to combine. Return the fried stewing beef and pork spare ribs to the pot. Stir in the basil, oregano, and salt. Increase the heat and bring the sauce to a boil, then reduce to a gentle simmer.

5. Simmer the Sauce - Increase heat and bring to a boil, then reduce to a gentle simmer. Add a pinch of baking soda—it will cause the sauce to foam. Skim off the foam with a spoon.  Cover and simmer for 2 to 2½ hours, stirring occasionally.

6. Add Meats (Optional) - – About 30 minutes before the sauce is finished, you may add additional meats such as meatballs**, chicken, Italian sausage, or other favorites. If using ground beef, cook it separately, drain off the excess fat, and then add it to the sauce.

Notes

• Add more water if the sauce becomes too thick.

• This recipe can be doubled and freezes well for future use.
  

• *Italians fry meat, they never brown.
  
  **Years ago, I came to the conclusion that cooking meatballs in the sauce sucks the flavor
  right out of them, leaving you with a bland-tasting meatball. But cook them separately—and you’ll end up with something so good, it might just knock you out of your chair.

Looking for a great Italian meatball recipe?

Looking for a Great Italian Meatball Recipe?

If you're looking for a great Italian meatball recipe then wrap your lips these balls.

I've known Tom Hartman since first grade. That means we've been friends for a long time. Since childhood, Tom has always come across as a "worldly" type of fellow. He's always been very knowledgeable in politics, sports, the arts, history, and music. Especially music. He and I have listened, enjoyed, and argued about music for thirty years.

Tom also knows a lot about food. He lives in Philadelphia and enjoys eating out often. Name the food and Tom tasted it somewhere in Philadelphia or New York or around the world (Tom travels a lot. When it comes to food -- Tom has tried it all including Indian, Chinese, Mexican, Thai, French, and Italian. Now, given his background, experience, and his fondness for food I value his opinion and his recommendations about such matters.

I told you about Tom so you'll understand my disbelief when he told me that my meatballs were the best he's ever eaten. My meatballs? Tom has eaten thousands of meatballs in hundreds of restaurants in and around Philadelphia, New York, and other places, yet my meatballs are his favorite, "...the best I've ever tasted." Wow, what a compliment. Thank you Tom.

So given my new found respect for my meatballs I want to share my recipe:

The Best Italian Meatball Recipe

Prep Time: 20 minutes
Bake Time: 24 minutes

Ingredients
1 pound combined beef, veal, pork (must be fresh)
3 large eggs
1-cup grated Romano Locatelli Cheese
1-cup bread crumb
1-clove garlic - minced
1-teaspoon salt
1-teaspoon parsley

Preparation
(All mixing is done be hand) In a large bowl mix eggs, garlic, salt and parsley.  Then add beef/veal/pork. Mix.  Then, add 1/2 cup of bread crumb and 1/2 of cheese. Mix.  Add second 1/2 cup of bread crumb and cheese.  Mix  Now, it's time to roll up the balls. Average size is roughly 2 inches in diameter. I usually get around 18 to 20 meatballs per pound. IMPORTANT! Do not cook meatballs in your pasta sauce! Meatballs cooked in sauce lose their flavor.*  Rather than fry, which is perfectly acceptable, I cook them in an oven. Heat oven to 390. Place meatballs on a rack - then on a cookie tray. Bake for 12 minutes on one side then 12 minutes for the other.

I freeze the meatballs in bags and take out what I need per dinner. I just drop the meatballs into the sauce as if heats up.

*Years ago, I came to the conclusion that cooking meatballs in sauce sucks the flavor out of them resulting in a bland tasting meatball. However, cook them independent from the sauce and you'll taste something so good you'll fall out of your chair. If you want a flavored sauce add seasoned ground beef, chicken, pork, or beef tips.

Buon Appetito!

Looking for a great Italian sauce recipe?