Meatball Sub Sauce

Until my tomatoes ripen, I’m still using canned tomatoes.

Garden Fresh Meatball Sub Sauce
Makes 1 big pot

2 – 28 oz. cans Sclafani crushed tomatoes
1 cup sun dried tomatoes packed in oil
1 large Vidalia onion, finely diced
6 cloves garlic, sliced
1/4 lb pancetta, diced
1 Tablespoons olive oil, or as needed
6 stalks celery, finely diced
1 glass of your favorite good quality rich, red wine (not oaked)
1 big handful basil, minced
1/2 teaspoon dried basil
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes

In a large dutch oven or pot,  brown pancetta in just enough olive oil to coat the bottom of the pot.  Saute until golden brown.  Add onion and celery and sweat briefly.  Deglaze pan with red wine.  Allow the wine to reduce away to almost nothing.  Then, add all remaining ingredients.

Simmer gently for approximately 15 min, or until flavors marry.

Tomorrow: Meatball Subs!!

(If making meatballs, bring to a hearty simmer.  Add meatballs and simmer for 20-30 minutes depending on the size of your meatballs.)

In the meantime, ladle a small bowl of sauce and serve with a wedge of toasted Italian bread.

Mangia, mangia!

And, finish up that wine!

Colavita Vs. Sclafani

Sclafani wins… again!  Sclafani offers a beautiful deep red color, sweeter tomato smell, and sweeter ripe tomato taste.  Colavita (Whole Foods) might be second place for now.  More testing is needed to be sure.

Those tomatoes really are ripe.

Ripe tomatoes and salt.  That’s it.  Period.  That’s why they’re so good.