Eat Drink Delta by Susan Puckett

Author:Susan Puckett
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: University of Georgia Press
Published: 2013-06-19T16:00:00+00:00

Steve Fratesi’s Extra-Hearty Spaghetti with Meatballs

“Italian sauce is thick—it is thick with meat,” explains Steve Fratesi, who grew up with spaghetti gravy and now makes it for family and friends. “That’s why it is called gravy.” Time is the key ingredient; a football game on TV and a bottle of wine, beer, or Old Charter nearby are essential. He also advises: “If you drink too much and have to take a nap, or if the football games last longer than you thought, then just add more water and let it cook. It just gets better the longer that it simmers.”

It’s great with meatballs, such as Italian Meatballs for a Crowd on page 141, but this one is so meaty and flavorful that it’s hearty enough to stand on its own.

MAKES 12 TO 15 SERVINGS

½ cup olive oil

3 large onions, finely chopped

2 garlic cloves, minced

2 pounds ground beef

2 (15-ounce) cans tomato sauce

2 (6-ounce) cans tomato paste

4 cups water, plus more as needed

2 teaspoons salt, or to taste, divided

2 teaspoons ground black pepper, or to taste, divided

4 teaspoons dried oregano, divided

2 to 3 tablespoons minced fresh parsley or 1 tablespoon dried, divided

1½ teaspoons dried basil, divided

½ teaspoon dried rosemary, divided

4 ounces grated Parmesan cheese (1 cup)

50 cooked meatballs, for serving (optional)

3 to 4 pounds hot, freshly cooked pasta, for serving

In a large, heavy, nonreactive pot, heat the oil over medium heat. Add the onions and garlic and cook, stirring occasionally to prevent sticking, until tender. (“Slightly burned is okay. It gives it more flavor.”)

Add the ground meat and cook until browned, breaking up the meat with the spoon. Use a colander to drain the grease from the meat mixture and then return the drained meat to the pot. (If you don’t have a colander, hold the meat in the pan with a spoon, tilt the pan, and pour the grease into the garbage can. Steve says to “Start over if you drop the pan or all the beef falls into the garbage. Remember that hot grease will put holes in garbage bags that will make a mess when you take it out. Use Pine-Sol on the floor if your wife sees this happen. If she doesn’t, the dog will take care of it.”)

Stir in the tomato sauce and paste. Fill each can half full of water and stir to loosen all of the sauce and paste and then pour into the pot. Stir in the 4 cups of water.

Add half of the salt, pepper, oregano, parsley, basil, and rosemary. Relax and let cook over medium heat for 1 to 2 hours, stirring occasionally so as not to burn. Add the remaining salt, pepper, oregano, parsley, basil, and rosemary. Stir in Parmesan cheese. Simmer over low heat for 1 to 2 more hours, adding more water if it thickens more than you like. The longer it simmers, the more deeply flavored the sauce. Stir in the meatballs, if using, and spoon over hot, freshly cooked pasta.

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