Valerie's Sunday Gravy (meat Sauce)

A very traditional, Italian meat sauce that I have adapted from several different recipes to create my own delicious gravy.

• Ready In: 3 hrs
• Serves: 6-8

Ingredients

• For the Sauce

• 2  tablespoons olive oil
• 2  pork chops
• 1  lb  Italian sausage (mild or hot)
• 4  garlic cloves
• 1⁄4 cup tomato paste
• 4 (28 ounce) cans  peeled Italian tomatoes
• 2  cups water
•  salt & freshly ground black pepper
• 6  fresh basil leaves, torn into small pieces

• For the Meatballs

• 2 -3  tablespoons canola oil
• 1⁄2 lb extra lean beef
• 1⁄2 lb  ground veal
• 1⁄2 lb ground pork
• 2  eggs
• 1⁄2 cup parmesan cheese or 1⁄2 cup romano cheese
• 1  cup  breadcrumbs
• 3 -4  fresh minced garlic cloves
• 1  teaspoon salt
•  black pepper
• 1⁄4 cup milk
• 1⁄4 cup  finely chopped fresh parsley

Directions

1. TO MAKE THE MEATBALLS:
2. Mix all ingredients together.
3. Form into meatballs.
4. Heat Canola oil in fry pan at medium.
5. Fry meatballs on all sides. Do not overcook as you will continue to cook meatballs in sauce.
6. Remove and set aside on some paper towels to absorb some of the fat.
7. TO MAKE THE SAUCE:
8. Heat 2-Tbsp oil in large heavy pot over medium heat. Brown pork chops on both sides. This should take about 10-15 minutes.
9. Remove from pan.
10. Add sausages, brown on all sides and remove from pan.
11. Drain most of fat from pot.
12. Add garlic and cook for about 2-minutes. Do not burn !
13. Add tomatoes with their juices to the pot (I put the tomatoes first in a blender and pulse about three times to break up the tomatoes).
14. Add water, salt and pepper to taste.
15. Add pork, sausages and basil and bring sauce to a simmer.
16. Partially cover the pot and cook over low heat, stirring occasionally, for 2-hours.
17. After 2 hours, add the meatballs and cook for 30 minutes or so.
18. Serve with pasta of choice.