Mama Rosanne's Gravy

[theoriginalblurker]

I thought I would post the recipe for my MIL's red sauce here.  That way when I'm out somewhere I can always access the recipe.  (Oh, and you guys can have access too!)  :)





For one "batch" (we usually double the sauce volume, but keep the meat the same)


Sauce:

• 2 cans Hunts tomato puree


• 3 cans Hunts tomato sauce


• 2 small cans Hunts tomato paste


• extra virgin olive oil


• garlic salt


• dried oregano


• (we have added red wine to this list, but it's not an official ingredient)  :)

Meatballs:

• 3 lbs ground chuck


• 2 eggs


• 1 cup Progresso Italian style bread crumbs


• garlic salt


• salt/pepper


• 1/2 cup grated parmesean or romano cheese

Bracciole:

• sliced beef pounded very thin 


• (Rosanne asks for "beef for bracciole" at her butcher.  Yeah right.  Just use your best judgement.)


• extra virgin olive oil


• Progresso Italian style bread crumbs


• grated parmesean or romano cheese

Italian sausage (mild or spicy - your choice)
(Or, if you don't like sausage, we have substituted butterfly cut pork chops; either way, Ang maintains it doesn't taste the same without some pork in the sauce.)



And now, you  just cook it!  ;)  Ok, I'll give you some hints.

Meatballs:
squish everything together with your hands
roll balls and throw from hand to hand to increase density
fry in hot oil

Bracciole:
coat one side of each slice in olive oil
sprinkle with bread crumbs and grated cheese
roll up
tie or use toothpicks to hold together
fry in hot oil

Sausage or pork:
fry in hot oil


All the frying is just to brown the outsides and solidify the meat a bit.  The meat will really cook in the sauce.


Sauce:

• coat the bottom of a large dutch oven with olive oil and heat


• add sauce, paste, and puree


• add water equivalent to the amount of puree


• heat to melt paste


• add garlic salt, oregano and wine if desired


• heat through


• add meat


• cook for a long time (at least 3 hours) adding liquid (wine or water) and spices as needed


• don't season too strongly in the beginning, as the meat will season the sauce as it is cooking