Conti Family Meat Sauce Recipes

SPAGHETTI SAUCE WITH GROUND BEEF

Steps:

• Combine ground beef, onion, garlic, and green pepper in a large saucepan. Cook and stir until meat is brown and vegetables are tender. Drain grease.
• Stir diced tomatoes, tomato sauce, and tomato paste into the pan. Season with oregano, basil, salt, and pepper. Simmer spaghetti sauce for 1 hour, stirring occasionally.

ITALIAN MEAT SAUCE

Steps:

• In a large heavy bottomed pot, heat the olive oil and sauté the onion until translucent. This should take 5 - 8 minutes. The longer you cook the onions, the sweeter they become.
• Add garlic and cook just until fragrant.
• Add the beef and veal (if using) and cook until it's browned. I use lean meat which means there's little fat left in the pan. I don't bother draining it. If you find a lot of fat you can remove it using a turkey baster or skim it off the top later. Don't mistake water for fat. I've found lesser grades of meat release more liquid than say Angus. If that's the case, cook and stir a few minutes and it will evaporate.
• Sprinkle in the granulated garlic, salt and pepper and stir.
• Stir in the tomato paste and cook until it loses its bright red color.
• Add the ground peeled tomatoes and the tomato puree, sugar and basil.
• Bring to a boil then lower to a simmer, stirring occasionally, until thickened about 1 hour. Taste and adjust for more salt and pepper.

CONTI FAMILY MEATBALLS (SICILIAN TWIST)

Steps:

• Mix all the ingredients together and blend well.
• With wet hands, rolly the mixture into balls about 1 1/2 inches in diameter.
• Drop the balls into the simmering meat sauce.

ITALIAN MEAT SAUCE FAMILY SECRET

Steps:

• Fry bacon until crisp in a wide 6 qt pot.
• Remove crisp bacon and all but 2 Tbls of bacon grease, saving bacon and extra bacon grease.
• Brown ground beef in pot with bacon grease.
• Stir in chopped onions, green pepper, and garlic and cook on medium low for 10 minutes to soften veggies (add additional bacon grease if needed).
• Crush tomatoes (I use my hands) and add to pot along with tomato paste, crisp bacon bits, one C of wine, 4 tsps each of oregano and basil and then remaining ingredients.
• Don't forget to reserve wine and spices.
• Bring everything to a boil, reduce heat and simmer uncovered for 3 hours, stirring occasionally.
• After first hour, taste sauce to correct seasoning to your taste.
• Ten to fifteen minutes before serving, add the remaining oregano, basil and wine.
• Serve over hot pasta and top with grated parmesan cheese.
• To enhance flavors if time allows, allow sauce to cool, refrigerate for 1-2 hours, bring to room temperature before reheating.