re: Spaghetti Sauce Secrets

I'm wasting time before a lunch meeting, so I'll play along.Here's something off the top of my pointy little head.

Make the meatballs I posted in the Recipe Thread. They are good. You can vary the meat type, but the portions are very nice.

For the sauce:

1 12 oz can Cento tomato paste
2 28 oz cans of Cento crushed tomatoes
1 large or 2 medium yellow onions, fine diced
2 to 3 stalks celery, minced in the FP
2 carrots, minced in the FP
beef or vegetable stock, at least a quart
1 flat of anchovies, minced (just do it)
2 or 3 bay leaves
4 T good olive oil
1/2 T each dried thyme, oregano, and basil...adjust to taste as cooking
2 T of minced garlic
1/2 cup minced flat leaf parsley
1/2 T crushed red pepper, adjust to taste
1 t black pepper, adjust to taste
salt , adjusted to taste
Parm cheese rind, or cheese, a 1/4 to 1/2 cup
red wine, 1/2 to 1 cup

Method

Heat the olive oil and saute' the onion until translucent. Add the celery, carrots, and parm rind, if using. Add the herbs and bay leaves(if using dried) and the Parm cheese rind, if using). Saute a few minutes to toast the herbs. Add the tomato paste,garlic and the anchovies. Go another 5 to 10 minutes on medium, scraping the pot, to get some color on the paste.

Add the chrushed tomatoes, the wine, and enough stock to make it a soupy consistency. Add cheese if not using the rind. Leave the lid ajar, cut the heat to simmer, and contiunue for an hour if using browned, ground meat(which you just added). If using meatballs, add now and simmer for 2 to 3 hours. Add a bit more stock if needed, and adjust all seasonings to taste, with the addition of salt. Please taste the damn dish as it simmers...seasoning adjustments will need to be made.

Add the parsley during the last 5 to 30 minutes. This sauce formula is pretty damn good.