Spaghetti & Meatballs, DeSando Family Recipe

Spaghetti and Meatballs

Spaghetti & Meatballs. This is our family recipe, handed down for multiple generations. My grandfather Frank, who emigrated from Calabria, taught my dad, who taught me. I have later taught my two sons, Luke and Carlo, how to make this rich red sauce and succulent meatballs.

https://cookingsecretsformen.com/2017/10/18/my-dads-italian-meat-ball-recipe/)

Spaghetti & Meatballs, DeSando Family Recipe for Red Sauce

2 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
1 large onion, chopped
Salt & Pepper
4 cloves garlic, crushed
2 (28-ounce) cans of whole peeled tomatoes. (You can also use one can of diced tomatoes and one can of whole tomatoes. You can even use a jar of prepared sauce as a choice.)
1 bottle of good Red wine. (Cook with wine you would drink yourself)
1/2 tsp red pepper flakes
1 tsp dried oregano
1 tsp dried thyme
One tsp of dried rosemary
1 tsp dried basil
1 bay leaf
Sugar to taste
Tomato paste (optional – read below)
1-2 cups of water as needed
OPTIONAL – Chicken parts (dark meat) and whole pork chops to flavor the sauce (Read step 9 below for more info)
Fresh basil (for serving and garnish). Fresh basil will turn black if cooked over time in the red sauce. Add fresh basil as you are serving, for an aesthetic look and fresh herb taste.

Sauce vs Gravy for Spaghetti and Meatballs

Ah, the age-old debate! In Italian-American cuisine, the term “gravy” is often used to describe a rich, slow-cooked tomato-based sauce. This sauce includes meat, like meatballs, sausage, or even pork bones. Some families swear by calling it Sunday gravy, especially when it’s simmered for hours with various meats.

On the other hand, “sauce” is the more common term for a tomato-based pasta topping, especially in traditional Italian cooking. In Italy, you’d typically hear sugo or ragù instead of “gravy.” Our family says SAUCE!!

Instructions for Red Sauce for Spaghetti and Meatballs

Use a soup pot or a wide-bottomed pot and heat the olive oil over medium heat
Add the chopped onions
Season with salt & Pepper
Stir so it does not burn.
Sauté until they start to sweat, about 5 minutes.
Add the chopped garlic and saute for 1 minute. Do not let the garlic burn; cook until fragrant.
Put in the tomatoes. If using whole, peeled tomatoes, squish them in your hands to break them up. The tomatoes will continue to break down the longer the sauce cooks.
Use the red wine to swirl in the empty cans of tomatoes, to catch all the extra juices. You can also use water to swirl in the empty cans.
Add Oregano, Thyme, Rosemary, Basil, Bay Leaves, Salt & pepper to taste, and Crushed Red peppers.
Add sugar if desired to counterbalance the acidity of the tomatoes. Start small, with a teaspoon or two. You can always add more, but you can’t take it out once you have put the sugar in.
Some recipes call for tomato paste, which thickens the sauce. Cooking over several hours over low heat will accomplish the same thing. If the sauce gets too thick, add water. If it’s too thin, you can add tomato paste or cook longer.
Optional step – I also cook raw pork chops and raw chicken in the sauce. Let those cook thoroughly (about 30-40 minutes). Remove pork chops and chicken, and eat them while you wait for the sauce to cook down. Especially if you are simmering the sauce for several hours. The downside to this step is that the chops & chicken will produce grease. You will need to skim the grease off the surface.
Simmer on low for about 2 hours. Stir every 30 minutes to stop the tomatoes from sticking to the bottom of the pan and burning.
Remove the bay leaf before serving. The sauce will continue to thicken the longer it cooks. There is no right or wrong amount of time for a sauce to simmer. When my dad cooked sauce when I was growing up, it simmered overnight. The smell wafted throughout the house into the morning.
Add fresh basil as a garnish and serve.

Spaghetti and Meatballs in Italy

Although beloved in the US, spaghetti and meatballs is more of an Italian-American creation than a traditional Italian meal. In Italy, meatballs (polpette) are typically served on their own, not with pasta. Nonetheless, if you’re looking for places in Italy that serve this dish, you might find it at:

PaStation Firenze in Florence, known for its pasta dishes.
Spaghetti in Rome, a highly rated spot for pasta lovers.
Le Botteghe di Donatello in Florence, offering a variety of Italian classics.

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If you like this recipe for the DeSando Family Recipe for Spaghetti and Meatballs, you should try our recipe for Pasta Pomodoro with Shrimp

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