The German’s Italian Spaghetti & Meatballs

This recipe was pulled together from our Italian friends before the annual beach vacation. Our very good friend, Tracy, would make this spaghetti for one cooler weather football game each fall. This recipe was told to my husband, and compiled by trial and error with one partial recipe from our friend Rick. It took a couple of trial runs before the half-German husband/chef of the house was expected to prepare Spaghetti for 60 Italians. (How exactly did that happen?!?) This recipe was also the maiden voyage of my birthday present, 16Qt stainless steel stock pot, to cook 10 lbs of noodles.

Meatballs, Sausage, & Eggs, OH MY!

Meatballs

• 2 lbs ground pork
• 1.5 lbs of ground beef
• 3 eggs
• 1 cup of Italian bread crumbs
• 2 tbs Italian Seasoning
• 2 tsp black pepper
• 2 tsp red pepper
• 2 tsp salt
• 3 cloves of garlic
• 1 small/medium onion chopped
• 1 cup Parmesan cheese 

Put some gloves on, mix with your hands, and grab a 4 tbsp stainless steel scoop to dip exactly 10 meatballs/lb of meat. Bake at 450 deg for 40 min in one inch of water in the bottom of the baking pan. Set aside while the sauce is cooking.

Gravy

• 2 6 oz cans tomato paste
• 6 15 oz can of Cento Crushed tomatoes
• 2 pod minced garlic
• 3 onions
• 2 tbs salt
• 3 tbs sugar
• 6 cans water
• 1 tbs + 2 tsp salt
• 1 tbs + 2 tsp black pepper
• 1 tbs + 2 tab Italian seasoning
• 1 tsp crushed red pepper
• 2 tsp basil
• 3 tsp parsley
• 2 tsp thyme
• 3 tsp oregano
• 1 cup good Cabernet or Red blend wine (something you want to drink with the meal); I like Cosentino Pinot Noir.
• Drop 1 lb of Italian sausage 1:1 each pound of meatballs in the gravy

Saute the onions, and add the vegetables. Follow with the tomato products (*and they must be Cento). Simmer and add the seasonings. Finally, add the meat back to the pot and bring to a slow simmer.

The pasta is boiled perfectly for 8 minutes, and the gravy was perfect after a dozen eggs were dropped in the gravy and poached undisturbed for 10 minutes in a simmering gravy. Boil some pasta, make a little salad, and serve to your best friends.