Italian Sunday Sauce And Meatballs Recipe
Fresh Italian-style tomato sauce and pan-fried meatballs.
Equipment
- 1 large soup pot
- 1 12-inch iron skillet
- 1 large spoon
- 1 large knife
- Measuring spoons
Ingredients
- 28 oz canned crushed tomatoes (three)
Sauce
- 15 oz canned tomato sauce
- 3 cloves garlic (minced)
- dashes of dried basil, oregano and parsley
- 1 large onion (coarsely chopped)
- olive oil (as needed)
- meatballs (see ingredients below)
- 9 Italian sausages
- 1 pork braciola
- 1 chicken quarter
- 1 dash sugar (optional)
- water (as needed)
- 28 oz canned crushed tomatoes (three of them)
Meatballs
- 1.5 lbs chop meat (a mixture of veal, pork, and beef is best)
- 1 large egg
- 1 slice milk-soaked bread (broken into pieces)
- 1/2 small onion (minced)
- 2 cloves garlic (minced)
- dashes of dried basil, oregano, and parsley
- 1 tbs grated cheese
- seasoned bread crumbs ( as needed)
- olive oil (as needed)
Instructions
Sauce
- Brown the meats in a frying pan brushed with olive oil. Remove to a bowl when done.
- In an 8-quart pot, cook garlic and onion until slightly soft, about 5 minutes. Add basil, oregano, and parsley. Add the crushed tomatoes and tomato sauce. Use a small amount of water to clean out the cans and add them to the pot. Bring to a light boil.
- Next, add the meats (and their juices), cover, and simmer for 2-3 hours, until the bright red color mellows into a rich orange.
- Stir occasionally and taste. If the sauce is a bit acidic, add a dash of sugar to neutralize it.
Meatballs
- In a large bowl, mix all of the ingredients (except the olive oil) by hand. Add as many bread crumbs as necessary so they will stick together.
- Break off pieces of the mixture and roll them into balls between your palms. (The size is up to you; some prefer them walnut-sized, others like their meatballs pool-ball sized.)
- Brown the meatballs in a frying pan brushed with oil, turning onto all sides until fully browned.
- Drop the cooked meatballs into a pot of bubbling spaghetti sauce and simmer until the sauce is done, or eat as is. (Remember to reserve some for mini-meatballs—and memories)