Spaghetti Sauce and Meatballs (plus Sausage & Eggs)

Believe it or not, I had never eaten pasta when I met my husband.  So it was quite a revelation when I was introduced to the delights of spaghetti, ravioli and lasagne.  Not to mention chicken parmigiano, chicken scarpariello, eggplant parmigiano, fettucini Alfredo, etc.  I often think this was what started me on my cooking career!

Shortly after we were married, my mother-in-law, who was an excellent cook, taught me the family recipe for spaghetti sauce with meatballs - and sausage and hardboiled eggs!  The recipe came from her Sicilian mother-in-law and is a great example of Italian-American cooking.  I am happy to share it with you.

 

I am making a large quantity since this freezes well - except for the eggs.  Feel free to make a smaller amount.

For the meatballs:

1¼ lbs. “meatloaf mix” - equal portions of ground beef, veal and pork
4 eggs, lightly beaten
½ cup freshly grated parmigiano cheese
½ cup chopped parsley
1 cup Italian style breadcrumbs
2 cloves garlic, grated
Olive oil

Add the eggs to the meat and mix lightly.  Add remaining ingredients and mix lightly but thoroughly.  Form meatballs keeping hands rinsed in cold water. (Makes about 20 meatballs.)
Heat a large, heavy stockpot (I use a 10 qt.) and add enough olive oil to cover about ¼” deep.  Let the oil heat and add 6 or 8 meatballs to pan.  Allow to brown and then turn to brown on all sides.  Remove to a clean bowl and continue browning remaining meatballs, sausage and hardboiled eggs, if using.

For the sauce:

2 cups chopped onions
3 or 4 plump garlic cloves, finely chopped or grated
8 28 oz. cans crushed tomatoes
1½ tablespoons dried oregano
1½ tablespoons dried basil
½ teaspoon crushed red pepper

Add a little more olive oil to the pan if necessary and add the onions.  Cook until softened and add the garlic and cook for 2 minutes more.  Add the tomatoes and remaining ingredients.  Stir to combine and bring to a boil.  Return the browned meats to the pan and cook at a simmer for 4 to 5 hours.

Note:  I like to use a Flame Tamer to prevent the sauce sticking on the bottom.  If you don’t have one, keep the heat as low as possible to allow a simmer and stir frequently.   WATCH THE VIDEO DEMONSTRATION BELOW

 Comment;

Betty;

My spaghetti sauce is very much like yours except that I add a potato along with the meats and eggs.

I don't have this recipe written down (watching my mother, Nanna , A. Mamie) I just eyeball everything.  My mother was not one for writing recipes down.  

Now when anyone ask me for my spaghetti sauce I'll give them a copy of yours.

One year we had some college soccer players over for dinner  (they would help my husband Gil coach youth soccer) they went crazy for the spaghetti meal and couldn't get over that there was sausages, eggs and potatoes in the sauce.  Whenever we hear from them, they always mention the sausage,eggs & potatoes in the sauce.

Enjoy watching your videos, I always learn something new. Loretta D.

Here is a short video on how to make our favorite meatballs (Recipe is above);

 

Spaghetti Carbonara

Like many old recipes, this dish has a number of stories connected with it.  Some say it was a favorite of the charcoal makers and some give credit to coal miners.  Whoever invented it deserves a medal!  It is another one of these great pasta dishes that can be put together while the water comes to a boil.  If you plan ahead and keep some Parmegiano Reggiano cheese in the refrigerator, and pancetta in your freezer (I buy several ¼" thick slices at a time, usually each slice weighs about 2 oz., chop them and package them in 2 oz. quantities in plastic bags) you always have the ingredients for a delicious meal on hand.  Add a Caesar Salad and no one would guess you hadn't planned this for days!

Spaghetti Carbonara

4 oz. pancetta, chopped
2 oz. pecorino (or locatelli) cheese, grated
2 oz. parmesan, grated
3 large eggs
12 oz. spaghetti
2 plump garlic cloves, peeled and smashed with the back of a knife
2 oz. unsalted butter
Freshly ground black pepper

1. Put a large saucepan of water on to boil.
2. Fry the pancetta on low heat until starting to brown.  Add the garlic and cook until the garlic is browned and the pancetta is golden and crisp.  Remove the garlic and any excess fat and discard.  Add the butter and keep the heat on  low.
3. Whisk the eggs and add most of the cheeses.
4.  Add 1 tablespoon of salt to the boiling water, add the spaghetti and when the water comes back to the boil, cook at a constant simmer for 6 minutes, or until al dente.
5. When the pasta is ready, lift it from the water with a pasta fork or tongs and put it in the frying pan with the pancetta.  Don’t worry if a little water drops in the pan and don’t throw the rest of the pasta water away yet!
6. Mix most of the cheese in with the eggs, keeping a small handful back for sprinkling over later.  Take the pan of spaghetti and pancetta off the heat.  Now quickly pour in the eggs and cheese and, using tongs or a long fork, lift up the spaghetti so it mixes easily with the egg mixture, which thickens but doesn’t scramble, and everything is coated.  Add extra pasta cooking water to keep it saucy (several tablespoons should do it).  You don’t want it wet, just moist.
7. Serve immediately with a little sprinkling of the remaining cheese and a grating of black pepper.  If the dish does get a little dry before serving, splash in some more hot pasta water and the glossy sauciness will be revived.

Serves 4              WATCH THE DEMONSTRATION VIDEO BELOW