Recipes I Stole From Mama: Tomato Sauce

 

Recipes I Stole from Mama: Tomato Sauce

Sunday afternoon was that day’s main mealtime and that meal was always spaghetti or macaroni of some kind and a green salad served after the entrée. Salad served at the end of the meal was normal and until I had my first restaurant meal, the only way I’d ever had it. It was traditional in Italian homes and has the effect of cleansing the palate after a heavy entrée.

In any case, pasta was not an inexpensive proposition, since the sauce contained homemade meatballs, sausage, pork, and braciole. Included in this hub will be recipes for the sauce, meatballs and braciole.

Braciole

Braciole is rolled, thin pieces of round steak stuffed with hard cooked eggs, cappicola, garlic, salt, black pepper, parsley and grated cheese.

1 ½ - 2 lb. round steak (less than ½ “ thick)

¼ lb. sliced cappicola

3 hard cooked eggs, sliced into ½” - ¼ “ rounds

2-3 cloves garlic, chopped

¼ c. grated Parmesan cheese

Parsley

Salt

Black pepper

Butcher’s string

Steak should yield at least three separate pieces. Lay steaks flat. Sprinkle salt, pepper, parsley, cheese and garlic over meat. Evenly distribute sliced egg, then cappicola. Roll steaks in jelly roll fashion, beginning at the narrow ends and tie with string.

Brown in skillet with approximately ¼ “ oil. After browned on all sides add to tomato sauce pot and allow to cook for at least 2 hours.

When ready to serve, remove from pan, cut string, and cut roll into 2” pieces.

Meatballs

1 ½ -2 lb. hamburg

2 eggs

2 c. bread crumbs

1 c. grated cheese

2 tsp. salt

1 tsp. black pepper

5 cloves garlic, chopped

½ c. parsley

Place all ingredients in a large bowl and mix thoroughly. Form into 2”-2 ½”

balls and place in a baking pan having raised sides. Bake for 40 minutes at 375 degrees. When done, add these and any grease and brown bits left in the pan to the sauce pot.

Italian Sausage

Do not make your own Italian sausage. If you are able to do that, you don’t need this recipe.

Purchase about a pound of hot Italian sausage links. Brown very slightly and add to the sauce pot. In the same pan used for browning the sausages, add about ¼ cup of oil and saute 4 - 5 cloves of chopped garlic until it is barely translucent. Add this to the sauce pot also.

To the sauce pot add 4 cans of tomato puree (16 oz. size or larger), 4 cans water, 2-3 bay leaves, 1 tbs. salt, 1 tbs. black pepper and a cup of grated cheese.

Cook on the stove over a low heat for at least 2-3 hours, with a lid partially covering the pot.

Taste and adjust seasonings as needed.

Use sauce over your favorite pasta or as part of other dishes like eggplant parmesan.