Sunday Sauce

served over tagliatelle with shaved parm

This is my wife's family's recipe. She says they're part Italian, but I wouldn't have been able to deduce that with all the number of blonde, blue-eyed relatives. Italian, my ass... Maybe Italian by way of Sweden.

1/4 cup olive oil

2 lbs boneless country style spareribs

2 lbs Italian sausage

1/2 lb ground beef

1/2 lb ground pork

1 large onion, chopped

1 TB garlic, minced

2 large carrots, peeled and grated

3 28-oz cans peeled whole San Marzano tomatoes with juice

6 TB tomato paste

8 cups water

2 bay leaves

1 TB dried oregano

1 cup fresh basil, julienned

2 TB fresh rosemary, chopped

1 1/2 tsp salt

1 tsp black pepper

Preheat oven to 425 degrees F. 

Line 2 large baking sheets with foil, brush the foil with olive oil. Arrange ribs and sausages in one layer on the baking sheets. Brush the tops of the meat with more olive oil. Roast for about 1 hour for the ribs and 40 minutes for the sausage. Shred the rib meat and slice the sausage. Set them aside.

In large, heavy bottom saucepan, brown ground beef and pork over medium high heat, crumbling into small pieces. Set aside. 

Drain all but 2 TB of fat from the saucepan. Add onions, garlic, and carrots. Sauté over medium heat for 6-8 minutes until they begin to soften and caramelize.

Add whole tomatoes and juice, tomato paste, water, and all the spices to the veggies. Maybe even a pinch of sugar if the tomatoes are too acidic. Add all the meats to the mix, bring to a boil, reduce the heat to low and simmer gently, uncovered, for 3.5 - 4.5 hours. Stir occasionally so things don't stick to the bottom. If it gets too thick, add a bit of water.

At the end of the simmering time, remove the bay leaves. You can throw in about a half cup of heavy cream to make it a blush sauce.

Serve over noodles of choice. Not angel hair, though - something hefty that can stand up to the sauce.