Papa Sal's Spaghetti Sauce

 By Nana (Marilyn Maggio)

I think that my spaghetti sauce will warm your stomach as well as your heart and gives you that happy feeling.

My paternal grandfather (who was born in Palermo, Italy) used to come and visit every Sunday when I was growing up. By trade he was a barber. He had a chair at the Ritz Carlton Hotel in Manhattan and used to go around the world as personal barber to many wealthy clients. His hobby was cooking. He carried a brief case on the train from Manhattan to our house in Rockaway Beach and when he arrived my sister and I anxiously opened it and out spilled what I thought were treasures. There was fresh Italian sausage, Parmesean cheese, Italian candies, a wonderful cream filled dessert called a canoli, and even a capon and a leg of lamb once materialized out of that brief case. It was different every week and something that my sister and I looked forward to. My grandfather loved to cook and taught my mother many Italian dishes. He was very fussy and not an easy teacher. He expected you to do exactly what he said you should do. Of course I learned at the same time and below you will find my version of my grandfather's spaghetti sauce. I"m not as precise as he was and have learned that it doesn"t matter if it comes out different, what's important is that it tastes the way you want it to - delicious!

Papa Sal's Spaghetti Sauce

6 tablespoons virgin olive oil
3 cloves fresh garlic
2 cans Italian tomatoes
l can water
2 cans Italian tomato paste
6 Italian sweet sausage
3 Italian hot sausage
l package country spare ribs
l package pork bones
l - pounds chop meat
salt, pepper, oregano, fresh basil
1/3 cup dry red wine
1 tablespoon sugar (optional)

Using a heavy large pot, pour in your olive oil and put a low light under it. When it starts to sizzle add your chopped garlic and a handful of chop meat and stir until lightly brown. Then pour in your tomatoes. Using one of the empty tomato cans add 1 can of water. Take a potato masher and mash the tomatoes. Bring to a boil and then turn light down so the liquid is simmering. Add your tomato paste, stirring well. Shake in some salt and pepper, oregano and add 2 or 3 leaves of fresh basil. You can also add about a tablespoon of sugar (optional) to cut the acidity of the tomatoes. Now pour in your red wine. You can use cooking wine but a good dry red wine such as a hearty burgandy is better.

           Now turn your attention to your meats. Using a heavy iron skillet (I use my trusty black iron frying pans given to me by my best friend's mother when I was first married, 51 years ago, and they were well used then; given to her by her mother, but she didn"t like them because they can't be scoured. They are a treasure; foods don't stick and they cook evenly) pour in a little olive oil and when hot add your sausage. Brown evenly on all sides and then add to your sauce. While your pan is still hot add - cup water and scrape the sausage bits and add it all to your sauce for flavor.
At this time you can add your raw pork spareribs or pork bones or chicken pieces to the pot of sauce. Bring to a boil and then turn back to simmer. Stir well because the tomatoes may stick a little at the bottom. Stir often while cooking.

          Now take your chop meat (ground sirloin is best) and put it in a large bowl. Add 1 egg, a small chopped onion, - teaspoon of garlic powder, a pinch of parsley, - cup grated Parmesean cheese, 1 tablespoon Worchestire sauce, and five slices of wet white bread. Sprinkle liberally with salt and pepper. Now use your hands to mix this all well. Mix until ingredients are incorporated and mixture is smooth. Shape into medium size meatballs and brown in skillet with a little olive oil. When brown on all sides carefully use a spatula to lift from pan and add to sauce. Again pour some water in your hot pan and scrape it well adding it to your sauce for flavor.

          Cook on a low light, stirring occasionally, for three hours. When done skim the top of the sauce removing oil that has settled there.

          You can easily vary this sauce by adding or subtracting any of the meats. You don't even have to use meat, making it a marinara sauce. Enjoy experimenting with it. This sauce also freezes well in an airtight freezer container. Manga!
 

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