John LaBarca's (JLB) Dynamite Gravy and Meatballs

★★★★★

Dinner, Italian

Difficulty: Easy Source:

Ingredients

Meatballs

1.5 lbs. ground beef sirloin, chopped

1 cup Italian-flavored bread crumbs

1 eggs

3 cloves garlic, minced

1 tsp. parsley

1/2 of can (8 oz.) of evaporated milk - do NOT get sweetened condensed milk, or use 1 extra egg

1/2 cup Romano cheese, grated

1/2 tsp. salt

1/2 tsp. coarse black pepper


Gravy

2 lg. cans Italian tomatoes, crushed, 3 cans if 3 lbs of meatballs (3LBM)

2 sm. cans of tomato paste, 3 cans if 3LBM

4 cloves garlic, minced

1/2 cu. Romano cheese, grated

1 dash of sugar

1 tsp. of salt

1 Tbsp. coarse ground black pepper

1 (8-oz.) can stemmed mushrooms, drained and finely chopped

2 lbs. pork ribs recommended but optional, prebaked for 30 min. at 350° oven and separated

1 package of sausage if not using ribs, prebaked for 20 min. in microwave oven, forked with 2 tablespoons of water

1 wooden spoon

1 Carlo Buti record (optional)

Directions

Preheat oven to 375.

Mix all ingredients by hand, starting by breaking up sirloin with hands.

Roll out size of meatballs you prefer onto large baking sheet.

Bake for 25 minutes, turning with tongs every 6 minutes to make sure all sides are browned and firm.

In a large saucepan, place olive oil in first and heat on medium flame. Add garlic and saute until light brown.

Put prebaked pork ribs or sausage in and stir completely with wooden spoon.

Add crushed tomatoes and tomato paste, vigorously stirring water into each container to get remaining tomatoes. Add remainder to saucepan.

While stirring, bring up heat to medium-high and just when hot bubbles surface, add basil, cheese, salt, pepper, sugar, and mushrooms. Stir in fully.

Add meatballs.

Turn heat down to medium-low and simmer for 2 hours, stirring slowly and completely with wooden spoon every 15 minutes.

Reduce heat to low and cover saucepan for remaining third hour.

Remove rib bones using tongs, remove meat, and put back into sauce.