Italian Tomato Sauce

Italian Tomato Sauce, better known as “gravy”. Growing up, this was a traditional Sunday meal.
There are many recipes for this sauce but here is my version without meat and then the version with meat.

Ingredients:
4 x 28oz cans of whole Italian plum tomatoes; use tomatoes from Italy, it makes a big difference
3 TBLS olive oil
4 cloves garlic, mashed and chopped
5-6 fresh basil leaves, torn
Directions:
Puree the tomatoes in a blender. In a large sauce pot saute the garlic in the oil for 2 minutes and add the pureed tomatoes and basil.

Simmer on very low heat covered for 1 hour. Then uncover and simmer for 30 minutes.
**If you want the meat (there are many meats that can be added but I’ve given you the two most popular) version add the below meats and increase the covered simmer time to 2 hours then uncovered for 45 minutes.

Meatballs & Italian Sausage

Ingredients:
1LB ground mixed veal, pork and beef
2 cloves garlic, mashed and chopped
1 cup plain bread crumbs
3 XLRG eggs
¼ cup milk
2 TBLS chopped parsley
½ cup grated Parmesan or Romano cheese
1 TSP dried basil
Pepper to taste

Directions:
Preheat oven 400. Mix all together and form into 1/3 cup balls. Place on a sheet pan and bake at 400 for 15 minutes until the tops are bubbly. They will be set but not cooked through. Remove from sheet pan and add to pot with sauce.

Italian Sausage
Buy the Italian sausage at a market that makes it if you can. The supermarket sausage just does not compare.
1LB-1 ½ LB of Italian sausage links

Directions:
Brown in a frying pan and add to the pot with sauce.
Some people like to add the frying pan drippings to the sauce, but that can get oily, so use your discretion.

When the sauce is done it will be slightly thicker than when the tomatoes were first pureed. The meat will be tender but not falling apart.
Serve over your favorite pasta.