Jim's Sunday Gravy El Grande with Grinder Balls

 

This is by far one of the best recipes you will come across and it is a combination of Sunday Gravy, Goodfellas Meatballs, Granny’s Spaghetti sauce and my own ingredients that I have thought would make for the perfect Sunday Italian Dinner. Once you make this, there is a lot you can do with it other than spaghetti. We will make Calzones, Ziti, stuffed shells, even use it for pizza sauce and of course a AWESOME meatball sandwich. I have been making this dish for years!

Here is what you will need

For the sauce**
4 tablespoons olive oil
1-2 pound of veal shoulder and lamb shanks
6 Italian- sausages
6 garlic cloves
1/4 cup tomato paste
4 (28ounce) cans Italian peeled tomatoes (San Marzano)
2 cups water

2 cups red wine
Salt and freshly ground pepper
10 fresh basil leaves, torn into small pieces

1 onion

teaspoon of crushed red pepper

**For the Meatballs**
1 pound  beef –GROUND FRESH

1 pound of veal-GROUND FRESH

1\2 pound pork-GROUND FRESH
1/2 cup plain bread crumbs,

4 whole wheat pieces of bread wetted
2 large eggs
2 teaspoon very finely minced garlic
1/2 cup freshly grated Pecorino Romano mix Parmigiano-Reggiano
2 tablespoons finely chopped parsley
1 teaspoon salt
Freshly ground pepper
2 tablespoons olive oil

one half onion

10 chives

whole oregano leaves

For the sauce, start off braising some veal, and the sausages along with some onions in olive oil and fresh garlic. Once done, pour all of it into a LARGE non stick pot. Then add all four cans of tomato's and hand crush them, also add the tomato paste and wine as well as water.

 

Pretty much add everything to the pot and cook until it boils a little, then reduce and simmer on low to medium for four hours. If the sauce gets to think, just thin it out with some water and wine.

PREPARING THE  GRINDER MEATBALLS.

This is fun. However you MUST have a grinder. I use the meat grinder attachment on my Kitchen Aide mixer and it works fantastic. I do pre trim all the meat so it does run threw the grinder very fast.

Put the herbs, fresh garlic, onion, and the mix of meats in a large bowel, then grind away. This fuses all the flavors together. Even run the wet bread slices threw the grinder.

Then add the eggs and remaining ingredients to your meatball mixture. Make into balls and you are ready to go!!

 

I usually use olive oil to lightly brown the meatballs and then put them into the pot of sauce. I also wet the meatballs a little to get a nice browning to them.

 

After all cooked, let the entire sauce simmer for at least an hour and you are ready to go.

This is one dish you wont soon forget, it really is awesome and the leftovers are da BOMB!!

 

TIPS:

• I use my own home made infused olive oil. FANTASTIC, has chives, fresh parsley, garlic, red peppers in the oil canister. Really helps make the dish, use it to cook the olive oil and add flavor to the sauce.
• Be sure to use the mixer to mix the ground meat, really does a great job. You will never mix by hand again!
• Take out any bones in the sauce from the veal and lanb shanks.
• Try using store bought or home made whole wheat pasta, taste beeter and MUCH better for you. We use whole wheat in all of our pasta or a 50\50 blend and make it homemade. Store bought is still really good. Never over cook your pasta and after drain and cooled, coat wilth a little of the seasoned olive oil to keep it from sticking and it adds flavor.

Chow!!

Jim Baugh