Red Sauce with Sausage & Meatballs

By Mabel Thompson

Ingredients:

2-4T olive oil

1-2 large onions, chopped, divided

3-4 cloves of garlic, minced, divided

2-28 oz. cans of tomatoes, crushed

1T each of dried parsley, basil, oregano – 2T or more if using fresh chopped

1t each hot pepper flakes, salt & pepper

1t Worcester sauce or sugar

1# (5-6) Italian sausages

2# ground beef

1 egg

1/4c plain breadcrumbs

Prepared spaghetti pasta

Parmesan cheese, grated

Sauce:

In a Dutch oven with a cover, over medium-low heat, sauté onion and garlic (holding back 2-3T for the meatballs) in olive oil. Add the tomatoes, spices, and sausage. Adjust seasoning to taste. Cover and bring to a boil and reduce to simmer.

Meatballs:

While the sauce simmers, preheat oven to 350 degrees. Combine ground beef, egg, crumbs, onion, garlic, and spices to taste. Form into golf-ball sized meatballs, or larger, and arrange on a cookie sheet. Bake for 20-30 minutes until cooked. Add the meatballs to the sauce and simmer for 3-4 hours, stirring occasionally, and adjusting seasoning to your liking.

Serve the sauce over prepared spaghetti with a sausage and meatballs, and grated Parmesan cheese. Leftovers are good in sandwiches with sautéed green and red bell peppers, and melted provolone cheese.