The Best Tomato Sauce on the Planet

One of my friends (who shall remain nameless as I recently brought her my famous spaghetti sauce and turkey meatballs after getting dumped) requested that I give her the recipe for the sauce that goes with it. I learned to make this sauce from an Italian friend, Nicoletta, who lives in Rome.

2 jars Passata (Italian strained tomatoes - available in Italian specialty stores)
2 carrots
2 stalks celery
1/2 sweet onion
1 inch segment of a hot pepper
1/2 glass wine (red or white)
1/4 cup olive oil
salt
pepper
2 tablespoons butter (I use French butter - it's much better)

In a large pot, warm the olive oil and add the chopped carrot, celery, onion and hot pepper. Saute for five minutes. Add the wine. Cook until it's evaporated. Season vegetables with salt and pepper. Add Passata and 1 cup of water (this is important - the sauce simmers for 2-3 hours and will become too thick due to evaporation if you don't add the water).

Bring to a boil and simmer for 2-3 hours (the longer, the better). When it's done, blend the sauce in a blender or use an immersion blender directly in the pot and blend. Add the butter.

If you're making my turkey meatballs (see previous post), you can add them now and warm them up in this wonderful sauce.

Seriously, this is such lovely sauce. There's no pungent garlic or spices. I get so many requests for it and you will, too!

Watch your teeth!

I just had the most fabulous weekend in the Hamptons with my dear friend Lisa. I was a houseguest of the most gracious hostess on the planet, Senie. Her son and his four friends were there, too. They are college seniors, 21, and just adorable. On Saturday, we had a barbeque (and Senie made really delicious Crab Imperial - see recipie below) and then the boys invited Lisa and I out.

Jeez, I am 33 and Lisa is 42. Compared to them, we're fossils.

Since I can't resist a good time (and neither can Lisa), we indulged them and went out. We had a great time at an East Hampton hot spot. On the way home, we came accross a stray shopping cart and they gave us a ride! The only thing I can remember as we were cart racing was Lisa screaming 'watch your teeth!'

Thanks, guys, for showing us fossils a good time.

Here's the Crab Imperial recipie:

1 pound jumbo lump crabmeat (nothing else will do)
1 egg and 1 egg yolk
1 1/4 cup Saltine cracker crumbs, divided
1 teaspoon dijon mustard
1 teaspoon Old Bay seasoning
4 tablespoons mayonnaise
salt and pepper to taste
parsley, optional

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Grease a round pie plate with butter. In a bowl, pick through the crab meat to make sure there aren't any shells. In another bowl, beat the egg and the egg yolk. Add the mustard, Old Bay, salt, pepper and mayo and blend well. Add mayo mixture to the crab and then add 1 cup of the cracker crumbs. Mix well and pour into greased pie plate. Sprinkle with the additional 1/4 cup cracker crumbs and bake for 30.

Meatballs

Not to brag, but I make the best turkey meatballs on the planet. Whenever one of my friends is infirmed or got dumped, I show up with a cauldron of turkey meatballs and spaghetti sauce.

Here's the recipie:

1 package ground turkey (93% lean)
1 cup Italian-flavored breadcrumbs
1 cup grated cheese (IMPORTANT! It must be very good cheese - this makes all the difference. I use a combination of grated parmaggiano-reggiano and romano cheese that I get freshly grated at the Italian market. You can store it, in a bag, in the freezer and use as needed)
1 egg
salt and pepper to taste
Parsley (optional)
1/2 - 3/4 cup water (This is the secret! Don't you just hate hard meatballs?)

Mix all ingredients together very well. Heck, let the kids help (I do!) - just no bowl licking. Form into meatballs and bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes. Add to cooked spaghetti sauce.

Variation: You can make turkey meatloaf - just put the mixture in a loaf pan (spray it with Pam) and bake at 350 degrees for an hour.