Mom-mom Joan's Meatballs and Sauce

Against all odds, the Irish grandmom's recipe became the family classic!

Mom-mom Joan's Meatballs and Sauce
Meatballs

3 lbs. ground beef (can use mixture of veal, pork and beef) (Will get 15 to 20 meatballs per pound)

4 t parm/pecorino/romano cheese

4 t parsley flakes

1 t onion salt

1/2 t salt and pepper

1/4 tsp garlic salt or powder (very little)

2 Eggs for every pound of meat mixture: Break 6 eggs into separate bowl - beat - add small amount of water.

Dip 3 to 4 slices of stale bread into eggs (remove crust) -crumble into meat mixture. Slowly add eggs into meatball mixture (not all at once). Add water to meatball mixture if necessary to make them loose and sticky.

Cover bottom of pan with oil and brown meatballs on all sides - remove from pan - brown sausage in pan. (Meatballs and sausage should not be cooked through.  Set aside meat in bowl.)

Sauce
(double this recipe if using 3 lbs. of meat or for large group)

1 t minced onion

1/2 t garlic salt

1 t parsley flakes

1 t basil leaves

1 bay leaf

2 t grated cheese

1/4 t pepper and salt

1 t sugar

one whole onion

1 12 oz. can Contadina tomato paste (one can water)

1 29 oz. can puree

Cover bottom of pan with olive oil; enough so paste doesn't stick. After oil is hot, add paste and other ingredients. Bring to boil; add meatballs and sausage to the pan. Simmer 2 to 3 hours, stirring frequently. If sauce becomes too thick, add a little water.


VERY IMPORTANT DO'S AND DON'TS, according to Joan:

MEATBALLS:

"Never use breadcrumbs in the meatballs. It makes them sandy and hard."

"Don't make big meatballs. I don't like big huge meatballs. It's horrible."

"Don't cook them all the way through. They get rubbery, like rubberballs."

"I don't like garlic in my meatballs; some people do."

"No hot sausage, because I don't like hot sauce."

"Always use Contadina; any other brand is sour."



QUOTES ON THE SAUCE:

"Whole onion soaks up the acid from the tomatoes."

"I hate your frying pan. You should use Tefal."

"When you put the gravy in the refrigerator, put the meat in a separate dish. The meatballs soak up the gravy."