Every Sunday, we have a variation on meatballs and sauce. The only thing that changes is the kind of macaroni we serve. Today, because that was always our favorite, my dad and I are making raviolis.
Serves a lot of hungry Italians
For the meatballs:
2 # meatball mix (pork, beef, and veal)
a small bunch of fresh basil, enough to fit in the palm of your hand, chopped
a small bunch of fresh parsley (see above), chopped
3-4 cloves of garlic, chopped
1/2 c parmesan cheese
salt and pepper to taste (and my mother actually tastes it. raw. I DO NOT advise this)
2 slices of Italian bread, soaked in water, squeezed out, and then crumbled
1 egg
drizzle of olive oil
Mix. Let sit, overnight if you can, or at least a couple of hours. According to my parents, the meatballs have to "make love."
For the sauce:
olive oil
breadcrumbs
4-5 cloves of garlic, chopped
another bunch of fresh basil, chopped
2 cans crushed tomatoes
2 cans plum tomatoes, crushed in your hands on their way into the pot
red wine
Saute the parsley, basil, and garlic in the olive oil. DO NOT BROWN. When the garlic is just soft, you'll notice that there is a lot of olive oil in the bottom of the pan. You don't want an oil topped sauce. Sprinkle just a little bit of breadcrumbs on top of the garlic mixture to make a light paste. It should absorb the oil. Add the cans of tomatoes. Stir together and lower the heat to low. Pour yourself a glass of wine. Now pour a little off the top of the glass into the sauce. Stir often. You don't want to burn the sauce, which is very easy to do. Cook for at least 2 hours.
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