red sauce and meatballs

So, I married into an Italian (100%) family and it is basically unheard of to buy jarred red sauce. I want to surprise DH and make him sauce from scratch this weekend.

can anyone give me a really good, authentic, southern italian red sauce (gravy ) recipe?

Also, how do you make your meatballs? What do you add, do you brown and then bake?

Thanks

Re: red sauce and meatballs

Ok, I can not help with the sauce, because my family is so off the boat italian that we jar our own sauce once a year.

But, as to the meatballs...best if you use the thhree combo chopped meat-pork, veal, beef.

One package of that, an egg, some seasoned breadcrumbs, and some parmasean cheese. mix and mold into balls. we bake ours, but lots of other ppl fry theirs. bake until brown and then add to the sauce.

Now, there is a different way of making meat balls that is much more intensive and involves dipping day old bread into milk and unseasoned breadcrumbs (so more seasoning to the mix) and onions. But, that is just A LOT of work for meatballs IMO!

Re: red sauce and meatballs

Very very easy......for my sauce I buy Tuttorosa crushed tomatoes. I normally use 6 large cans at a time b/c I like to make extra and freeze it.

I sauttee one large onion and several cloves of crushed garlic in olive oil in a large sauce pot. When the onion is almost translucent I add the crushed tomatoes and let it cook....about 1-1.5 hours and done

Also I make my meatballs the same as the above poster. But I will normally use turkey meat. I also bake the meatballs first and then add them to the sauce and let it simmer for a while. Deeeee-lish!!!!!!!

Re: red sauce and meatballs

Re: red sauce and meatballs

ok, this is the recipe my italian grandmother taught my jewish mother who has since passed down to me! (thiese are the amounts i use for a full pot of sauce, you can cut it in half)

brown an onion with olive oil covering bottom of pot

once browned, add a couple of cloves of garlic to brown (or you can cheat and buy the already chopped and add what you think, 1-2 scoops)

once it's sizzling, then i add 4 cans of tomato paste and then using the cans i swish a can full of water between the 2 of them to clean them out and put in the sauce (if that makes sense) and i do that twice.

then add spices to taste (oregano, basil, bay leaves, etc, etc, parmesan cheese, and sugar) and mix

let that boil, add more spices, mix and then add 2 cans crushed tomatoes and stir.

then let it boil probably takes about an hour for the whole thing. if you add meat during, it will take longer. i usually bake the meatballs for 30 mins or so, then add to sauce to finish cooking.

good luck!! i'm sure it will be great!

Re: red sauce and meatballs

for my meatballs I use 1lb of the tri meat (beef, pork & veal). I add italian seasoned panko, parmesan/romano cheese, an egg, a little bit of milk, a small onion, minced, and a clove of garlic, minced, chopped parsley, salt & pepper. I bake them first and then throw them in the sauce.

Message edited 9/26/2009 12:56:54 PM.

Re: red sauce and meatballs

I use 3 cans of tuttorouso crushed tomatoes ( the green cans) and one can of tomato paste.
Pour a little olive oil in the bottom of a big sauce pan. Add chopped onion ( about a half of small onion) then add 2 or 3 cloves of garlic has to be fresh, chopped. Let cook for a short time, 3 minutes tops. Dont let the garlic burn, they burn quickly thats why you add the onion a few minutes earlier than the garlic. Then to give the sauce more flavor, i add sausage and let it brown on both sides. Sometimes i will add a couple of boneless ribs or pork neck bones if im in the mood. You cannot believe the difference in flavor when you add the pork. Once meat is browned i add the tomato paste and a cans worth of water. Stir Then add the three cans of tuttorouso tomatoes. Stir and let it cook on med low for a while. About 1/2 hour later i add my seasonings. S&P, basil, oregano, and parsley... let it cook for a little while longer than add about a tsp of sugar to take the bitterness out.. then i make my meatballs and add them to the sauce and let everything cook for a few hours.
For meatballs:
I use regular ground beef and an egg, bread crumbs. i take regular bread and grate with the hand grater, and then i add a little bit of milk, parmesan cheese S&P, oregano, parsley... mix all well together by hand. Heat some olive oil in the borrom of a frying pan. Let it get nice and hot. While the oil is heating up start rolling your meat mixture in to meatballs. Once the oil is hot add your meatballs and let them brown and then turn over and brown on other side. Then i take them out put them on a paper towel to drain and then i add them to my sauce. Stir all together ocassionally stirring every 20 minutes to a half hour/ Dont over stir your meatballs will fall apart. Let it all cook a few hours and then all you have to do is boil your macaroni.
I'm an all italian girl who is married to an italian guy. I make my sauce every sunday and have been for the last 14 years.. my italian mom and grandma taught me to make this... my family loves it Good luck

Re: red sauce and meatballs

thanks everyone!!

Re: red sauce and meatballs

How'd you do it? How'd it go over??? Was DH impressed??

Message edited 9/27/2009 7:22:52 AM.

Re: red sauce and meatballs

its cooking now


i had a disasterous morning however BIL (who makes amazing sauce) told me I should get lamb neckbones and simmer those in the sauce while it cooks. Everyone at the Meat store looked at me crazy then I couldnt find paste with italian seasoning as he suggested b/c everything was in Italian on the cans I finally figured it out and now the sauce is simmering! My kitchen is a mess but I think its going to be gooood!

Re: red sauce and meatballs

ok, so I just finished the sauce and it tastes incredible After portioning it out to freeze, I literally wiped the bottom of the pot clean with bread it was that good

Here is the recipe that I used, I added a few things and took out a few other suggestions to make it my own and it was delish!!


thanks for the help everyone!

3 cans crushed tomatoes
1 can tomato puree with italian seasoning
3 cloves garlic
1 medium white onion
6 sweet sausages
olive oil
parsley
oregano
basil
salt and pepper
graded locatelli cheese (i added this, makes it a little creamier, richer)
1/3 cup red wine, I used sparkling merlot this time and it tastes great (any red is fine)
I also cumbled 1/2 pound meatballs into the sauce since I already had them cooked.

OK so, finely chop the onion and garlic but keep seperate.

add olive oil to frying pan, maybe 3 Tablespoons, enough to coat onion. Simmer onion for a few minutes and then add the garlic. DO NOT let the garlic burn. Let simmer for 2-3 minutes.

Put the garlic/onion/olive oil mixture into large sauce pot and add 3 cans crushed tomatoes. Add half can water (use can from tomatoes)

Since there will still be a little bit of the olive oil in the pan, brown the sausage and add to sauce pot. Add crumbled meatballs or meat if you are using it.

Add puree and stir. let simmer for 15 mins.

I then uncover and stir, add 1/3 red wine and seasonings to taste. Stir. add maybe a 1/2 cup shredded locatelli cheese. stir and cover

Let simmer 30 mins

Add 1 tsp sugar to take out bitterness, add salt and pepper to taste. Stir. recover

Let simmer an additional 15 mins and then done :)

(it made 4 servings for 2 and also a large one for dinner tonight for 4 people. Enough for 5-6 servings for 2 people :))

Re: red sauce and meatballs

sounds great karin! I'm sure your dinner party will love it!

Message edited 9/27/2009 5:37:45 PM.

Re: red sauce and meatballs

MMmmm Karin!! That sounds fantastic!!

I haven't made my own sauce yet, but I plan on it soon!