Sugo di Carne / Meat Sauce

 Italian Tomato Sauce with Meat( Sugo di carne)

Instagram  @mangia.con.elena

Sunday sauce. There is a hashtag on instagram right now which is #makesundaysitalianagain. When I see that I smile to myself as it brings back childhood memories of Sunday dinners. Sundays were always large family dinners. Mostly a variation of pasta with lots of sides. I would wake up early to the sound of pots and pans banging in the kitchen (my mother was a terrible sleeper and was up early getting started in the kitchen). I would quickly eat my ciambella and drink my cappucino and I would meet my cousins outside to walk to church. I remember running home from church because I couldn't wait to see what our dinner was going to be. I could smell the sauce all the way  up the street! The smell- oh my! This sauce was used on Sunday but also kept in the fridge for meals during the week. It was an important part of so many dishes- lasagna, gnocchi, polenta, risotto, fettucine, polpettone and so much more! Sundays were about family. We would sit around the big table and feast. It was always delicious! I loved when my mom would poach an egg in the sauce for me for lunch and I would always add extra sauce and take a piece of homemade crusty bread and scrape up every bit of sauce! "Facciamo la scarpetta" - making a slipper with the bread. 

When the pandemic first started my friend asked me to show her how to make sugo. So we had a cooking lesson virtually and it was so much fun! I am so glad we did because she inspired me to start an instagram page and she is happy because she loved it so much she has vowed to never buy store bought sauce again!!!!!  I am going to share my sugo recipe with you and hope that if you are using store bought sauce I might convince you to never buy again! 

This sauce has many variations, it can be made with our without meat and every region in Italy does it slightly different. This is how my Mamma makes it and how I have been making it.  It is best to allow it to simmer and reduce for a minimum of 3 hours. It can be stored in the fridge for up to 5 days but frozen for longer periods of time. I always have some in the freezer for those days that I am in a hurry and  need something quick to make. Give it a try!

As with all Italian cooking, this recipe is not set in stone. Don't like pork? Leave it out. Want to use ground chicken? Go ahead! Change the seasonings and the meat selections based on your or your families preferences. 

Ingredients

• 1 medium/large  onion diced
• 2/3 cloves garlic chopped finely
• 1 pound of ground beef/pork ( a combination of both)
• 6 spicy or garlic italian sausages
• 2-3 short ribs 
• meatballs (store bought or home made) -optional
• 1 can of san marzano type whole peeled tomatoes. Do not use crushed or chopped.
• 2 jars of passata
• 1 small can of tomato paste or about 3 tbsp of paste in a tube (my preference!)
• 1 cup of good red wine
• fresh or dried basil, bay leaves, italian seasonings, garlic powder

Directions

1. Heat up olive oil in a large stock pot. Add short ribs and sear them on all sides allowing them to turn a nice golden brown. Remove from pot and put in a large bowl. Do not scrape the pot. 
2. Add sausages and sear them well on all sides. Remove and add to bowl
3. Saute onions and garlic until translucent and then add the ground meat. Season the meat with salt, pepper, italian seasonings and garlic powder. Allow meat to brown well.
4. Make a well in middle of meat mixture and add tomato paste. Work the paste into the meat and allow to toast up
5. Add the rest of the meat to the pot
6. Add the red wine. Scrape bottom of pan to pick up all the crispy bits and allow wine to simmer and reduce and alcohol to evaporate. Season again
7. While wine is reducing combine tomatoes and passata in a large bowl. Crush the tomatoes with your hand (good old fashioned way). I prefer a bit of chunk in my sauce but if you want if completely smooth then use an immersion blender.
8. Add tomatoes to pot
9. Add water to the passata bottles and shake them up (fill  to top), then pour into the tomato can and swirl and then pour into bowl and do the same. Add the water to the pot. This is where you decide if you need more of less water. The sauce should cover the meat fully. You can also judge as it cooks because it will reduce and become thicker. 
10. Add bay leaves, basil and if you have a rind of old parmigiano reggiano kicking around that would be great. Meatballs go in at this time as well. We don't fry our meatballs ahead of time, but if you prefer to do that, then do it at the beginning with all the other meat. If using frozen add them to the sauce without browning. 
11. Reduce heat to a simmer, put on the lid with it slightly open (use a wooden spoon) and that's it! Give it a stir every once in awhile, taste it and adjust the seasonings and enjoy the amazing smell!  
12. Before serving remove ribs and sausages. Shred the rib meat and return to pot and slice sausages into nice sized chunks.

Don't forget to have some crusty italian bread ready so that you can dunk the bread into the sauce while taste testing all day long!!!!! Would love for you to let me know how it turns and send me a picture. Either through my blog or my instagram @mangia.con.elena

Buon Appetito!

Con amore,

Elena