The Sauce

Nothing is more important than the sauce in my household.

It is a staple that is always on hand in the freezer - generally laden with meatballs and sausage among other things. The secret to a good sauce is how long you cook it - as well as how adventurous you get with the ingredients. The funny thing is that it doesn't matter whose recipe you follow, everyone's sauce tastes different - and it is so easy to make yours unique.

Keep in mind that sauce isn't just for pasta! Use it on fish, in parmesans, meatball subs, - even on eggs for a change of pace. Keeping a good basic sauce on hand always ensures that you have dinner ready in a pinch regardless of whoever shows up at the door!

Sauce Ingredients:

• 3 large cans whole tomatoes
• 1 large can of tomato puree
• 2 small (the smallest!) cans of tomato paste
• 2 cups of red wine (white does in a pinch)
• Garlic
• Onions
• Italian seasoning
• Basil
• Red pepper flakes
• Chopped mushrooms
• Olives (any kind that float your boat)
• 1 large carrot
• Olive oil
• 2 large beef marrow bones (if ya' want!)
• 2 lbs. of hot and/or sweet Italian sausage

Meatballs:

• 2 lbs. of ground beef/veal or turkey
• 1 cup of grated cheese
• Seasoned Bread Crumbs
• 2 Eggs

Coat the bottom of a large (really large) pot with a thin coat of olive oil. Chop 2 medium onions and about 5 cloves of garlic - throw in the pot and saute over low-to-medium heat until transparent. Add a pinch of red pepper flakes and about a tablespoon of Italian Seasoning and Basil (dry is fine). Mix well and let heat until seasoning aroma is apparent.

Puree whole tomatoes in a blender (make sure to use the whole tomatoes, there really is a flavor difference), and add to the pot along with the can of puree, tomato paste and wine.

Peel the carrot and throw it in - you can cut into 'chunks' or leave whole. The carrot is added to keep the 'sour' out of the sauce. Bring to a simmer over a medium heat. Add the mushrooms and olives.

Cut sausage into 4" - 5" inch links and add. DO NOT PRE-COOK.


Okay. . . STOP! I know a lot of you are saying what the hell is she doing? I am cooking my meat, is she crazy??? No, don't!! The secret to this sauce is that the meat cooks in it! It provides a much better flavor to the sauce - and oh by the way, if I didn't mention it earlier, this sauce is going to cook at LEAST 6 hours.

If you are one of the braver ones - you bought the marrow bones - throw them in as well. Marrow provides one of the BEST flavors to a sauce. . . truly unique. If you are squeamish about marrow, you can throw in a steak, a chicken leg, some vegetables - ANYTHING goes in a sauce if you are cooking it this long . . .so go crazy! Remember, it's all about the flavor.

Now, let's make the meatballs. This is so easy, you are going to kick yourself that you 'fried' or 'baked' them until now.

In a large bowl add ALL of the ingredients. Now get your hands in their and mix - yes, use your hands, it is the only way you are going to get this stuff together. If the mixture is too 'wet', add some bread crumbs, but remember - you do want them to be moist NOT dry . . . so unless they are ridiculously wet, start rolling

Once mixed, roll the meat into balls and place gently into the sauce. Use a wooden spoon to gently push them down until covered.

Okay, now . . . put on a low flame and walk away. By low I mean the lowest setting possible. Place a lid on the pot and walk away . . . for at least 3 hours of so.

Once the sauce has been cooking for awhile, you'll see a layer of grease start to form - remove this with a wooden spoon (I usually keep one of the tomato cans aside for this). As the sauce (and meat) cook, you will need to do this several times.

Let the sauce cook at least 6 hours - but it can go as long as 10-12 with no issues. The longer you cook it, the more flavorful.

Once it's done, use what you need for dinner and freeze the rest. Sauce actually tastes better the second time round!

Don't forget to have a crusty loaf of bread around while cooking for 'tasting'!

Enjoy.