Grandma Simonetti’s Meat “Gravy” + Meatballs
From the kitchen of: Anne Deaton (Columbia, MO)
On Sundays, I woke up to the wonderful smell of my Mom preparing Meat Sauce (which we called Meat “Gravy”) and meatballs being made in the kitchen. By the time the family was ready to leave for church, the meatballs would be simmering in the sauce awaiting our arrival home. Sometimes, I would have gone early to the Children’s Mass. If I had gone to the early service, my Mother would warn me before leaving: “Don’t eat any meatballs while we’re gone; I counted them!” Rarely, however, could I resist spreading Italian bread with the delicious sauce and downing several scrumptious meatballs.
Actually, I enjoyed pasta every day of the week but never with meat. Each day a different vegetable was mixed with a different shaped pasta that worked best with the vegetable choice (e.g., spinach, beans, squash, peas, broccoli). Still, I liked Sunday meat sauce the best! So today, these sweet memories keep pasta and meat sauce not only as my favorite dish, but my favorite comfort food as well.
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For my family, meatballs that have been simmered in red meat sauce ("gravy") are a quintessential comfort food. After broiling, simmer these meatballs in Grandma Simonetti's Red meat Sauce ("Gravy") for at least an hour. Serve with sauce over your favorite penne, fusilli, rigatoni, ravioli or spaghetti. Slice leftover meatballs and place in Kaiser rolls for a delicious sandwich, hot or cold. Enjoy!
Grandma Simonetti’s Meat Sauce (or “Meat Gravy”)
(Serves 6 people)
Ingredients
2 tablespoons virgin olive oil
1 small onion, diced small
2 good size garlic gloves, cut in thick slices
1/2 pound 90% lean ground beef
1 6 ounce can tomato paste
2 teaspoons dried basil
1 28 ounce can whole Italian tomatoes, skinless (such as San Marzano)
1 14.5 can diced tomatoes
1 cup water
2-3 medium size bay leaves
1 teaspoon of sugar
Salt and pepper to taste (maybe 10 shakes each)
Splash of red wine (optional)
Instructions:
Slowly and lightly brown garlic and onion in oil (do not rush this step; don’t get too brown). Add meat; slowly brown (but do not over cook).
Add tomato paste and stir for several minutes thoroughly coating meat. Mix whole tomatoes and diced tomatoes in blender (or you can put tomatoes in a colander and use a strong soup ladle to press the tomatoes through). Add all remaining ingredients, wine is optional. My mom never used wine, but since we usually serve wine with this meal, I give the sauce the first sip!
Simmer for at least 1 hour or until you reach the thickness of sauce you desire. If the sauce thickens before an hour, you can add a little more water.
If you have made meatballs to add to the meal, add the cooked meatballs to the simmering sauce. This sauce will be sufficient for 1 1/2 pounds of pasta cooked as directed (penne, fusilli, rotini are good choices for a meat sauce; regular thickness spaghetti as well). Serve piping hot and pass the parmesan. Enjoy!
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Grandma Simonetti’s Meatballs
Makes 18-20 meatballs
Ingredients
1 1/2 pounds of chopped beef (90 percent lean)
1 teaspoon level salt
1/4 teaspoon level pepper
3 1/2 cups bread crumbs (chopped in blender from hot dog or hamburger buns)
1 tablespoon chopped dried parsley
1/2 teaspoon dried basil
6 tablespoons grated parmesan cheese (use finely grated such as Kraft 100% in plastic jar)
3 large eggs
1 good size clove of garlic, chopped fine or minced
1 cup of water
Instructions:
Mix all ingredients together with hands (in powder free latex gloves).
Begin by adding just 3/4 cup of water to make sure that the mix is of the consistency to form meatballs, then add rest. For super easy cleanup, line a large baking pan (like for a sheet cake) with aluminum foil (no need to fry in oil!).
Shape meatballs to desired size. I usually make 18-20 meatballs.
Place on middle rack and broil until brown on one side (about 7 minutes); with tongs, turn meatballs to other side and broil for 5-7 minutes more. The meatballs should be nicely browned but not crisp. Watch.
Place the meatballs in sauce and simmer for as long as you simmer sauce, at least one hour. But first treat yourself to one just as they come out of the broiler!