Carla Spacher's Blog

The other day I posted my famous Italian spaghetti sauce, but forget a couple of ingredients, the olive oil , parsley and bay leaves. Please see the updated recipe below.

Ingredients

5 Tablespoons olive oil

3 large yellow onions, chopped

3 cloves minced garlic

1 lb. Ground sirloin

1 lb. Lean beef stew meat, cut into bite size pieces

1 package of sweet or hot Italian sausage (depending upon your taste) – 5 or 6 sausages

1 small can mushrooms (chopped), ½ lb. fresh mushrooms, or dried mushrooms (soaked in red wine overnight)

5 teaspoons Italian seasoning

1 Tablespoon dried parsley (or fresh chopped parsley)

5 Bay leaves

1 ½ cups red wine (robust, full-bodied, young red wine) - Do not use cooking wine.

1 large can whole tomatoes (including juice), chopped

1 large can tomato paste + 1 small can tomato paste

1 large can tomato sauce + 1 small can tomato sauce

Water (see below)

5 teaspoons sugar

Instructions

1. Stab holes in sausage with a steak knife, about 4 stabs each of the 2 sides.  This will allow the fat to drain while cooking.  Add to large frying pan.  Add about ¼” water.  Brown the sausages.  You can start it out on high and then once the water has evaporated lower the temperature to medium-high.  Once the sausages are brown remove from range.  There is no need to cook them all the way through.  Pat off excess oil with a paper towel.  Set aside to cool.  Once cooled slice width wise into about 1/3” circles.  If you wish to add meatballs this would be the time to make and brown them and set them aside as well.
2. Heat your stock pot.  Once heated add olive oil.
3. Add onion and garlic and sauté until onions are transparent.
4. Add sliced all meat, including sausage, and cook until meat is no longer read on outside.
5. Add mushrooms, parsley, Italian seasoning and wine; cover; and sauté 10 minutes more.
6. While the mixture is sautéing, empty whole tomatoes into a bowl with 2 knives cut up into small pieces or pulsate in a food processor.  You want to leave the tomatoes a little chunky.  You use can also use diced canned tomatoes
7. Once the meat mixture has completed the 10 minutes of sautéing, add the chopped tomatoes, tomato sauce and tomato paste into the meat mixture pot.  You can use some hot water to get the last bit out of the cans by scraping the sides of the can with a spoon.  If you use about a half to a whole can of water for each can of tomato sauce and paste you will have enough water in your sauce.
8. Add sugar, stir.  Add meatballs, if you desire.  Let simmer for at least 3 hours.  The longer it cooks the better it will taste.
9. As the sauce becomes too thick add additional water to taste.  Some like it really thick and others like it saucy.
10. Freeze leftovers in several air tight containers.  I like to freeze several different sizes, for individual meals, family meals and for company.

This sauce makes the best lasagna!

I will post a meatball recipe soon.

Enjoy!

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