Soprano's Sunday Gravy (spaghetti Sauce)

Total Time: 2 hrs 15 mins Preparation Time: 15 mins Cook Time: 2 hrs

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 lb meaty lamb neck bones or 1 lb lamb spareribs
• 1 lb veal stew meat or 2 veal shoulder chops
• 1 lb italian sausage
• 4 garlic cloves
• 1/4 cup tomato paste
• 3 (28 ounce) cans peeled italian tomatoes
• 2 cups water
• 6 leaves fresh basil, torn into small pieces
• 1 lb ground beef (or combination of beef or lamb)
• 1/2 cup plain breadcrumbs
• 2 large eggs
• 1 teaspoon finely minced garlic
• 1/2 cup freshly grated romano cheese or 1/2 cup parmesan cheese
• 2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
• 1 teaspoon salt
• pepper
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 lb pasta shells or 1 lb rigatoni pasta, cooked and hot
• freshly grated romano cheese or parmesan cheese

Recipe

• 1 to make the sauce, heat the oil in a large heavy pot over medium heat.
• 2 pat the lamb dry and put the pieces in the pot.
• 3 cook turning occasionally, for about 15 minutes or until nicely browned on all sides.
• 4 transfer lamb to a plate.
• 5 brown the veal in the same way and add it to the plate.
• 6 place the sausages in the pot and brown on all sides.
• 7 set the sausages aside with the lamb.
• 8 drain off most of the fat from the pot.
• 9 add the garlic and cook for about 2 minutes or until golden.
• 10 remove and discard the garlic.
• 11 stir in the tomato paste and cook for 1 minute.
• 12 with a food mill (i use a braun hand blender) puree the tomatoes, with their juice into the pot.
• 13 or for a chunkier sauce, just chop up the tomatoes and add them.
• 14 add the water; and salt and pepper to taste.
• 15 add the lamb, veal, sausages, and basil and bring the sauce to a simmer.
• 16 partially cover the pot and cook over low heat, stirring occasionally, for 2 hours.
• 17 if the sauce becomes too thick, add a little more water.
• 18 meanwhile, make the meatballs: combine all the ingredients except the oil in a large bowl.
• 19 mix together thoroughly.
• 20 rinse your hands with cool water and lightly shape the mixture into 2 inch balls.
• 21 heat the oil in a large heavy skillet.
• 22 add the meatballs and brown them well on all sides.
• 23 they will finish cooking in the sauce.
• 24 transfer the meatballs to a plate.
• 25 after the sauce has cooked for its two hours, add the meatballs and cook for 30 minutes or until the sauce is thick and the meats are very tender.
• 26 to serve, remove the meats from the sauce and set aside.
• 27 toss the cooked pasta with the sauce.
• 28 sprinkle with cheese.
• 29 serve the meats as a second course, or reserve them for another day.