Authentic Italian Spaghetti Sauce with meatballs Recipe
Add a photoThis is an authentic Italian spaghetti sauce
with meat balls recipe given to me by an Italian friend. It is cooked
slowly during 6 to 8 hours but the result is well worth the time and
effort.
with meat balls recipe given to me by an Italian friend. It is cooked
slowly during 6 to 8 hours but the result is well worth the time and
effort.
Ingredients
- INGREDIENTS FOR THE MEATBALLS
- 3 lbs ground beef
- 1 lb ground pork
- 2 cups bread crumbs
- 3 eggs
- 1/2 cup parmesan cheese
- AND 1/4 tsp of each of (basil, majoram, oregano, celery salt, hot pepper, parsley, sugar, garlic salt)
- INGREDIENTS FOR THE SAUCE
- cooking oil
- 2 cloves of garlic (finely minced)
- 4 large cans (48 ozs) tomato juice
- 1 tsp basil
- 1/2 tsp majoram
- 1 tsp oregano
- A sprinkle of hot pepper flakes or tabasco or cayenne pepper
- 1/8 tsp celery salt
- 1 tsp parsley
- 1 tbsp sugar
- 1/2 cup parmesan cheese
- 1 green pepper, diced (optional)
- 1 tsp garlic salt
- 1 bay leaf
Directions
MEATBALLS:
Place all the ingredients for the meatballs in
a large bowl. Mix well and make small meatballs about 1 to 1 1/2 inch
diameter. Once the meatballs are made, keep them refrigerated for 2
hours. You will be a adding the raw meatballs to the sauce after the
first 2 hours of cooking.
SAUCE:
Now, cover the bottom of a large pot with
cooking oil. Add the garlic cloves and cook slightly (do not brown) on
medium heat. Add the 4 cans of tomato juice, green pepper (opt) and all
the SPICES indicated in the ingredient list for the sauce. Mix all
ingredients well and bring to a boil. Once it starts boiling,
immediately turn down the heat and simmer between 6 to 8 hours.
Once the sauce has simmered for 2 hours, add
the refrigerated raw meatballs and continue the cooking time between 6
to 8 hours. The longer you simmer the sauce the thicker it will become.
Stir often and GENTLY during the cooking time so you do not break down
the meatballs and to prevent burning the meatballs.
DO NOT PLACE A COVER ON THE POT, to let the water evaporate and thicken the sauce.
You can serve the meatballs over spaghetti or
spaghettini with a salad and garlic bread OR as they do in Italy, serve
the meatballs with a baguette and spaghetti and tomato sauce separately.
It is up to you. Either way, it is delicious.
NOTE: Handle meatballs with care before and
after they are cooked as they will break more easily than ordinary
meatballs due to the added eggs, but they will be more airy, tender and
tastier than store bought pre-cooked meatballs). Enjoy!
