Traditional Spaghetti Sauce and Meatballs

Published : June 22, 2015

This recipe - courtesy of Mrs Luca - should make enough sauce for about 750 grams of raw pasta, depending on how you like your dish.

The Sauce

Ingredients:

3kg tomatoes. fresh, ripe and unblemished
½ kg beef, freshly minced
250g pork ribs
1 large onion
3-4 cloves of garlic
Fresh minced herbs – basil, oregano, parsley
Olive oil

OPTIONAL

200g finely chopped eggplant
1 small finely chopped capsicum

Method:

Cover whole tomatoes with boiling water. When the skin softens and starts to peel off, remove them from the water and cool a little. Remove the skins of each tomato. Place in food processor and blend into a purée.
Heat olive oil in pan. Sauté onion and garlic and any other vegetables you choose to use.
Add mince and pork ribs and brown. Add herbs.
Stirring continuously, add all of the tomato. Stir and bring to the boil.
Lower the heat and simmer until the sauce begins to thicken.
Gently add the prepared, uncooked meatballs to the sauce. Continue cooking and occasionally stir gently (being careful not to break the meatballs) until the sauce thickens to your preferred consistency.
Remove from the heat. With tongs, remove the cooked meatballs and pork ribs.
In the meantime, in rapidly boiling salted water, cook approximately 750 grams of spaghetti or penne of your choice. Dried pasta from your local continental deli will taste just like homemade.

For paleo or gluten option, replace the pasta with spinach or grated zucchini.

For a vegetarian sauce, omit the meat and add more vegetables.

The Meatballs

Makes: approx. 24 meatballs

Ingredients:

1kg freshly minced beef (ask your butcher to mince a suitable cut of meat for you)
3 cups dry bread, freshly crumbed (dry and lightly toast day-old bread, processing in a blender until it resembles the breadcrumbs you buy at the supermarket. You can freeze any excess.)
¾ cup grated Parmesan cheese
2 eggs
Lots of fresh parsley
2 cloves of garlic
Salt and pepper
Water to bind

Method:

Process garlic and parsley and add to the mince. Add grated cheese, eggs, salt and pepper.
Combine thoroughly with your hands, adding enough water to combine and bind.
Take about a tablespoon of the mince mixture and roll into a ball. Set aside.
Repeat until you think you have enough to satisfy the hungry mouths you have to feed.
If there is leftover mince mixture, freeze it for future use.

Assembling the Dish

Drain the pasta, toss through the sauce and serve immediately.
Top with meatballs and extra grated Parmesan cheese and a sprinkling of fresh chopped herbs.