Meaty Tomato Sauce
This is the kind of sauce Italian-American grandmas make, simmering on their stoves all Sunday afternoon. The key is to make the meatballs first, then crumble them; that way you add all the wonderful flavors of browned meat. (Cooking crumbled raw meat instead of meatballs doesn't allow for deep browning; the meat gives off so much water it steams before it browns.) Lean ground turkey makes a good substitute for beef, but it tends to lack flavor and can become dry. So, this version is bumped up the traditional spices and used fresh bread crumbs instead of dried, for maximum tenderness.
Number of Servings: 12
Serving Size: 3/4 cup
Ingredients:
crustless sturdy stale bread - 2 oz
lean ground turkey breast - 1/2 lb
egg - 1
freshly grated Romano cheese - 1/4 cup
chopped fresh parsley - 1/4 cup
clove garlic, minced - 1
fresh ground black pepper - 1/2 tsp
extra-virgin olive oil - 1 tbsp
28-oz can diced tomatoes in juice - 1
28-oz can crushed tomatoes - 1
1. To make fresh bread crumbs, grate the bread on the large holes in a box grater. You should have about 1 cup.
2. In a large bowl, lightly combine the turkey, bread crumbs, egg, cheese, parsley, garlic, and pepper. Let stand 10 minutes to moisten evenly. Shape the mixture into 12 meatballs.
3. In a large nonstick saucepan or deep skillet, heat the oil. Cook the meatballs, turning as needed, until well-browned on all sides, 7 to 8 minutes. Transfer to a plate. Pour off all but 1 tsp of any oil remianing in the pan. Add the tomatoes and meatballs; bring to just below boiling. Reduce the heat to low; partially cover and simmer, stirring occasionally, until the meatballs are tender; at least 2 hours.
4. With a slotted spoon, remove the meatballs to a large bowl. Crumble with a wooden spoon (or, when cool enough to handle, with your hands), then return to the sauce and heat through.
B-man
