Mark’s Drunken Red
Sauce
1 pound ground beef
1 pound bulk Italian sausage (hot or
sweet, to taste)
3 large cans tomato sauce
2-3 small cans tomato paste
1 pound mushrooms, sliced
1 large red onion, chopped
1 750 ml bottle Chianti or San Genovese
wine
4 bay leaves
Italian Seasoning (to taste)
2 heaping tablespoons minced garlic
2 tablespoons olive oil (not extra
virgin)
As with any recipe, get the best
quality ingredients you can for best results. In a large stockpot,
mix tomato sauce and paste over medium heat.Feel free to substitute chopped tomatoes for sauce on a one-for-one basis, but use at least one can of sauce. In a large skillet,
brown and crumble the ground beef, drain VERY well and add to sauce
with the garlic. Brown and crumble sausage, drain VERY well and add
to sauce with the entire bottle of wine. Heat oil in skillet and
sweat (do not brown) onion and mushrooms until mushrooms are cooked
and onion is translucent. Add contents of skillet, juices and all,
to the sauce. Stir in Italian seasoning and bay leaves and bring to
a boil, stirring frequently. Reduce heat to a low simmer and cover,
stirring occasionally. The longer the sauce simmers, the better the
flavor of the final product. If possible, place stockpot in
refrigerator overnight and remove any fat that has hardened on top
before heating or using. Makes enough sauce to feed an entire herd
or enough for 2 lasagnas and leftovers for 3 or 4 for spaghetti.
Buon Appetito!
There it is! The foundation of most of my Italian style cooking. Not "authentic Italian" by any stretch, but mega-yummy! Enjoy!
