Sunday Sauce With Meatballs, Sausages, and Pork Chops

This is my most requested recipe. By the by, if your grocer doesn't stock pancetta (an Italian-style cured bacon), you can substitute a fatty prosciutto or ordinary bacon in a pinch, but it won't be as subtle a dish. I usually never use pancetta and it is still delicious...who has 20 days to cure homemade pancetta!?!? From Fresco Trattoria.

• Ready In: 2 hrs 15 mins
• Serves: 6

Ingredients

• 1⁄2 cup extra virgin olive oil
• 1  lb mild sausage
• 1⁄2 lb hot Italian sausage
• 6  thinly sliced  pork chops (about 3 pounds)
• 2  cups dry red wine
• 2  tablespoons  chopped garlic
• 2  onions, diced
• 1  cup  diced pancetta (or a fatty prosciutto or regular bacon)
• 1  tablespoon crushed red pepper flakes
• 1  gallon italian tomato
• 2  cups  chopped basil
• 2  lbs  cooked  meatballs (suggest my Authentic Italian Meatballs recipe)
• 1  lb rigatoni pasta

Directions

1. In a large pot over medium heat, heat the oil and sauté the sausage and pork chops until brown, about 10 minutes - Don'’t worry if the meat is not cooked through because the meat will cook through in the sauce.
2. Remove the meat from pan and set aside; Deglaze the pan with 1 cup red wine.
3. In the same pot, add the garlic, onions, pancetta, and crushed pepper and cook until the onions and garlic are lightly browned, about 2 minutes.
4. Add the remaining cup of red wine and reduce by half. Add the tomatoes and simmer for 1 hour over low heat. Add the basil, sausage, pork chops, and meatballs to the tomato sauce and simmer for an additional hour over low heat.
5. In a large pot of boiling, salted water, cook the pasta for 10 to 12 minutes or until al dente. Drain the pasta, toss it with the Sunday Sauce, and serve immediately.