Okay ladies....I need an AWESOME Tomato Sauce (Italian Gravy) for In-Laws that are coming to dinner..HELP

Do you want a basic sauce?
Cream?
Fra Diablo?
What are you making it with?

This is my family's recipe for meat sauce - nothing is measured - it's all done according to your personal taste/preference. Adjust ingredients as you see fit. Also, if you prefer w/o meat, just omit.


Saute several cloves of crushed garlic (according to taste) in extra virgin olive oil - but, do not burn them!. Add ground beef and italian (sweet) sausage taken out of its casing. Saute til browned. Add 1/2 cup of red wine and simmer a few minutes. Add salt and black pepper to taste.
Add two cans Tutto Rosso crushed tomatoes (you can blend them to smooth before you add them, if you prefer).

Add fresh parsley and simmer for several hours until ready to serve. Enjoy!

note: depending upon the kind of tomatoes you use, if the sauce is bitter, you can add a little granulated sugar to sweeten slightly - but don't over do it! Good luck!

I always cook mine with pork and beef pieces.
I usually take the meat out and serve separtely, but the meat gives the sauce it's good taste...

BIG TIP: Do not use any metal utensils! It will give the sauce a iron lick taste...always use a wooden spoon

If you are going to make sauce- make a lot sauce & then freeze the rest for later.

3 big cans of whole San Marzano (if you can find them) tomatoes (or just plain whole will do)- open cans, put in a big bowl and crush these with your hands- that way you can make your sauce more 'homestyle thick' which is what I like- if you don't like chunky sauce then use all pre-crushed cans.
1 big can crushed tomatoes (again, San Marzano if you can find them)
1/2 cup of basil (fresh)
1 cup drinking quality red wine
one medium onion chopped
4-6 cloves of garlic sliced
1 bay leaf
1-2 teaspoons of sugar (or to taste)
i-2 teaspoons of salt to taste
1-2 teaspoon pepper to taste
3 tablespoons olive oil (3 turns around pan)


heat large pot over medium flame- add olive oil and onions. Sautee onions until clear (3-4 minutes)

Add garlic- turning constantly, sautee 2 minutes.. if you burn the garlic- you have to throw everything out & start over or else it'll be bitter

Add basil and wine.. bring to simmer and let wine reduce by 1/2.

Add bay leaf

Add tomatoes

bring to simmer & reduce heat- cook for 1-2 hours.... do NOT cover or else your sauce will get thin.

season with salt/pepper and sugar if needed (if you cook it long enough you will NOT need the sugar.

Claud, a good hint for ya. To sweeten the sauce, use a ladle of the pasta water (after it's cooked of course). Mix it in and in no time it will be so much sweeter! Especially the next day. The starch works wonders, and you don't have to worry about over-sugaring. You can do this as many times as you'd like, it doesn't water the sauce down.

I cook mine almost exactly like Sassy except I add in some oregano.

I loveeeeeee San Marzano tomatos. My great aunt gave me a case for my bridal shower lol.

For the BEST meatballs:

1 lb ground turkey
1 lb of veal/pork/beef ground beef mix
1/4 c. milk
1 teaspoon rosemary (fresh if you have it)
1/2 teaspoon hot pepper flakes
1 teaspoon salt
2 eggs
2-3 cups breadcrumbs (add until right consistency)

mix everything up with your hands.. yeah i know gross

bake in the oven at 400 degrees until brown on all sides- you'll have to turn them...

then add to your sauce and cook for 1/2 hour.

MOVE THIS TO THE RECIPE BOARD!