Meatballs and Tomato Sauce
rec.food.cooking/Rick Marinelli

Here is how my family has been making sauce since *before* my grandparents came over...

MEATBALLS

1 lb. ground chuck (round is too lean)
Generous handful fresh Italian (flat leaf) parsley chopped fine
(curly parsley has less flavor)
Freshly ground black pepper to taste (about 1/2-1 tsp.?)
Fresh garlic, pressed (1-3 cloves, depending on preference)
Stale bread (about 1/2 of beef by volume?)
Grated Romano cheese (about 1 cup?)
1 Egg

Soak bread in water till soft. Squeeze out as much water as possible (too wet, meatballs will fall apart). Add all other ingredients, mix well with hands. Fry in olive oil, turning to brown well on all sides. Add most to sauce, but they taste great plain, too.

SAUCE

Olive oil
Medium onion, chopped
Fresh garlic, minced (2-4 cloves)
Large can Italian plum tomatoes
Small can tomato paste
1/2 cup red wine (for sauce)
3-5 leaves fresh basil, torn
Oregano (2 tbl.?)
Freshly ground black pepper (1/2-1 tsp.?)
Salt (optional, to taste)
Italian sausage or other pork (critical ingredient)
Remainder of wine (for cook)

Cover bottom of pot with thin layer of oil, lightly brown onion and garlic. Liquify tomatoes in blender, add to pot. Add about 1/2 can of water. Stir in tomato paste, wine, basil, oregano, pepper, and salt. Fry sausage or brown other pork in olive oil from meatballs, add to sauce.

Simmer for at least 2 hours, drinking the remainder of the wine. The longer it simmers, and the more wine consumed, the better it tastes.