CHECK OUT "GRANDMA ROSE'S" FAMOUS RECIPE FOR AUTHENTIC ITALIAN MEATBALLS AND RED SAUCE BELOW:

Grandma Rose - was the sweetest little Italian woman who always had a kind word for everybody and lived by the adage: "Food is love."

Grandma Rose's Authentic Italian Meatballs:

Grandma Rose's generation did not use measurements in recipes, but rather cooked with their senses, how the food looked, tasted, and even felt, adding more cheese, or spices etc., to perfect the texture, consistency, and flavor of a dish. With this in mind, the following recipe is a pretty good approximation of "Grandma Rose's Authentic Italian Meatballs," compliments of Joe Mack, Grandma Roses' eldest son, who recommends tasting one as soon as it's cool enough, "because that's when they taste the best."

Get in touch with your "Inner Italian" and give it a try...Buona Fortuna!

2 pounds of chopped beef, veal and pork
2-3 eggs depending on size, slightly beaten
1/2 cup plus of finely chopped onion
3 slices of white bread or 2-3 hotdog rolls, chopped finely - About 1/2 cup of skim milk or more - Very big bunch of Italian Parsley chopped fine/leaves only
1/2 cup grated Parmigiano-Reggiano
Heaping tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper

1. Soak chopped bread in milk till it is nice and mushy

2. Add eggs, parsley, onions, cheese, salt and pepper and mix well

3. Add chopped meat and mix well using your *hands; there is no alternative

*Fun Fact # 1 -Grandma Rose would never wear nail polish when cooking for fear that it may chip into the food she was preparing..

4. When thoroughly mixed, form into meatballs by rolling in your palms. You should make 18 to 24 meatballs.

5. Place meatballs in lightly oiled, olive of course, cookie tin and bake at 350 for 30 minutes. Do not overcook. The meatballs may be browned in a frying pan; however, the baking is easier and probably healthier.

6. When cool remove meatballs from pan and scrape off any fat that has formed. Did you make more than you need or want to freeze some to enjoy at another time? Try Joe Mack's Freezing Trick - by laying them out on a cookie sheet and covering to freeze for later use. Check back periodically for additional "Authentic Italian," Wine Country Cuisine, and "California Living" inspired recipes to try out!

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Grandma Rose's Authentic Italian Tomato Sauce:

Why do Italian's call Red Sauce - Gravy? The answer - Red Gravy contains meat, or the meat drippings from the browned sausage, meatballs and spareribs that eventually went into the sauce to be served with the pasta of choice.

Sauce as in Marinara Sauce - does not contain meat, and therefore retains the more common name of Red Sauce. Below is a "good" approximation of what goes into Authentic Italian Gravy - yet keep in mind - you can always get in touch with your "Inner Italian" and add whatever else you might like to "Make it Your Own."

1. Place some Olive Oil ( a few Tablespoons) in the bottom of a large Pot - add a few cloves of garlic, gently brown - remove garlic cloves if desired.

2. Add 2-3 large cans of STRAINED Plum Italian Tomatoes - discard pulp (some will dice up the pulp and add it to the Sauce for a chunkier effect).

3. Add a hand-full of diced fresh basil, a pinch of salt and pepper to taste; bring to a boil, and reduce the heat to simmer to thicken. The thicker version is used on pasta, the thinner, lighter version is used when making your baked dishes such as lasagna and manicotti.

4. Add your browned meatballs, sausage, etc. to enhance flavor as desired - When meat is warmed through it's ready to serve. Note: The longer the Gravy simmers, the thicker it will get, so be careful not to overdo the simmering process.

FUN FACT #2 - Grandma Rose would also pour the drippings from the browned meats into the Sauce for extra flavor but stopped doing this as she got on in years once the adverse effects of too much fats and oils in the diet became more well known.

5. At the end just prior to serving - toss in a pinch of fresh Oregano - if the Oregano sits too long in the simmering sauce, it will turn the flavor bitter. Serve with your favorite pasta or our Authentic Meatball Recipe above.

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