Recipe of the Day (#ROTD)
Liz’s Famous Spaghetti Sauce with Meatballs
This sauce was originally given to me by my former Mother-in-Law. She made this recipe and it was just incredible, however, after changing up a few of the ingredients and cook time I found a whole level of Yumminess to this recipe. I also added in my meatball recipe in case you want to make this sauce even more off the hook then it already is.
Ingredients
Spaghetti Sauce
- 2 Tbsp olive oil
- 1 large onion, chopped
- 6 cloves garlic, finely minced
- 2 pounds good hamburger meat (I go to my local Butcher and ask for ground sirloin)
- 1 package pepperoni
- 6 strips good thick bacon
- 3/4 cup good red wine
- 2 28oz cans of tomato sauce
- 1 28oz can of tomato purée
- 1 sprig rosemary, finely chopped
- 1 large bunch basil, finely chopped
- 1 tbsp dried oregano
- 1 tbsp kosher salt
- 2 tsp pepper
- 1 1/2 tsp sugar
Meatballs
- 2 pounds good hamburger meat (I go to my local Butcher and ask for ground sirloin)
- 1 small onion, finely minced or grated
- 3/4 cup flat-leaf parsley leaves, chopped
- 2/3 cup plus 1/4 cup freshly grated parmesan cheese
- 1/3 cup Italian-style seasoned dried bread crumbs
- 1 large egg
- 2 tbsp ketchup
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1/4 tsp crushed red pepper flakes
- 2 tsp kosher salt
- 1 tsp pepper
Instructions
Sauce
- In a large dutch oven pot or stainless steal pot, over medium high heat, add strips of bacon and cook until brown. Take out of the pot and set aside on a plate lined with a couple sheets of paper towels to absorb the grease. Swirl the olive oil into the pot and add the onion and cook until translucent then add the minced garlic and quickly cook. Add pepperoni to the pot and cook until slightly brown and leave in the pan.
- Add in red wine and cook for at least 3 minutes so the alcohol cooks off.
- Add in hamburger meat and cook while breaking down all the meat with a spoon. Add rosemary, half of the basil, oregano and salt & pepper and keep cooking until completely brown. Add cooked bacon back into the pot and stir well.
- At this point add in all 3 cans of tomato products and stir well. Add the rest of the herbs, salt, pepper and sugar
- Turn the pot down to low heat and place the lid on the pot and cook for at least 3-4 hours so the flavors can marry. If you don't have 3-4 hours it still will taste unbelievable but the more time you can let it simmer the better it will taste.
Meatballs
- Preheat oven to 350°
- Place all of the ingredients except the hamburger into a large bowl and with a spoon mix well.
- Once these ingredients are mixed well add in the hamburger and, with clean hands, mix everything together until just incorporated. You never want to over mix the ingredients for meatballs/ you keep the meatballs fluffy not tough.
- Take out two cookie sheets, line them with tinfoil and spray each one with cooking spray. With a very small ice cream scoop, scoop out mini meatballs on to the cookie sheets. Place into the oven and cook for 15 minutes.
- Once the meatballs are cooked and cooled you can put them into the pot with the sauce and simmer until you are ready to serve. Serve over any pasta you choose. Happy Eating!!
