Monday, August 8, 2011

Mama Mia That's A Gooda Sauce!!!

Right now in my garden, I am picking about 1/2 a dozen large tomatoes a day.  We have been thoroughly enjoying these on sandwiches, and salads, and sharing them as well.  Today I decided to try my hand at making my own sauce.  I have never done this before.  Not like this.  I have made angel hair pasta with barely cooked tomatoes, but never cooked a sauce all day.  Let's get started.
First, put on a cute vintage apron, because you are gonna make a mess!!!
Next, get a large pot of water up to a boil and drop tomatoes in for a minute or so, until skin splits.
Then remove and place into an ice water bath. 
This makes it very easy to peel the skin right off of the tomato.
Once all have been blanched, cut tomatoes in half and squeeze the seeds and excess water out into a bowl and discard.
Dice two whole onions, and mince several cloves of garlic, and caramelize in small amount of olive oil.  Add your tomatoes that have been squeezed of seeds. 
To this, add seasonings of choice.  I used salt, pepper, oregano, and fresh basil.  Let simmer for a couple of hours.  Then add 1/2 cup or so of red wine.  And using a stick blender, puree sauce to desired consistency. 

Put lid on sauce, leaving on low heat, and let it simmer.  At this point, your house is smelling like every kitchen in Italy!
While simmering sauce, make meatballs!  Using about 1 1/2 pounds lean sirloin, add about 1/2 cup parmesan, 1 egg, 1 whole onion finely chopped, 1/2 cup Italian bread crumbs, desired fresh herbs and seasonings.  I used salt, pepper, garlic and oregano.  Mixing thoroughly, slowly add up to 1/2 cup or so of water, until moist, but not too wet.
Roll into golf ball size meatballs, placing them on a baking sheet, cook under broiler until  lightly browned on one side, then turn to brown other side.  Watch carefully, this only takes about 4 or 5 minutes.
I put both sheets into oven at same time.  Rotating sheet underneath to top after top sheet was transferred to sauce.
 After all of the meatballs are transferred to sauce, put lid back on and let simmer for an hour.
While this was simmering, I cut up fresh zucchini and yellow squash in to inch thick rounds.
Pour some  bread crumbs or panko onto dish, and in separate dish, crack one egg and beat.  My bread crumbs were plain so I seasoned them with salt and pepper and garlic.  Dip squash into egg, then coat both sides with bread crumbs and place onto baking sheet that has been sprayed with Pam.

Bake in 400 degree oven until just fork tender.   Remove to plate, and either enjoy like this, or with sauce over them.  Erika had hers this way.  She was trying to clean the plate for me to take picture, but I was too impatient.
 Serve Spaghetti & Meatballs with green salad and loaf of crusty french bread.
Noah gave it two thumbs up.
This was absolutely delicious!!  We all thought it was so good!  I froze the other half of it to take with us to Bass Lake.  I will be doing sauce again with my tomatoes soon.  Try it.  It was easy and so far superior to sauce in a jar!!
Buon Appetito!!

21 comments:

Hillcresthome Prims said...

That looks so yummy! It is morning here and I want to eat what you made!! YUMMO!!!

I loved the apron you wore and the last pic was SOOOO CUTE, I could tell he was enjoying every bite!
Summer Blessings,
Tricia

Valerie Harrison (bellini) said...

Living in a condo I do miss my gardening days and especially the tomatoes!

From the Kitchen said...

Still waiting around here for a bumper crop of tomatoes. So far, only a few and no heirlooms yet. I have several cute aprons just waiting.

Best,
Bonnie

Anonymous said...

wow,, thats a tomato heaven you got going on,, beautiful photos and you are a very pretty cook in your pretty apron, !Wish a had a smell button so I could smell that sauce,, yum!

Holly said...

I can smell it from here. Nothing like a great homemade sauce! I think it was the apron that made it all possible.

Tammy said...

Super yummy!!!

Bethany said...

I remember my mom did that once the year our tomatoes grew :)
What was it that John Denver sang? - "there's only 2 things that money can't buy and that's true love and homegrown tomatoes." Since you can actually buy homegrown tomatoes from someone who grows them, it's probably more accurate to say "true love and the smell of homemade sauce."

Unknown said...

I'm going to have to start calling you Merly, as in Streep. OH, MAMA MIA that looks great. But, rub it in that your maters are soooo much better than mine this year...he-he... What time should I be there for leftovers?

Kate

Maryrose said...

OMG...I am tasting this as I read it. It looks and smells delicious. I smelled it last night from here and almost came over for a taste. The only thing you forgot was to pour yourself a glass of wine while you were cooking
;)
Truly...it looks amazing and I can only imagine how extra good it was with your garden tomatoes. Yummy!!!

Dawn said...

Looks de-lish. If you ever have the chance try the Panko bread crumbs, you will love them.

NanaNor's said...

It's morning here too and you're making me hungry. Will have to try this although we don't have the tomatos like you do.
Have a great day my friend.

Pammy Sue said...

Spaghetti is my fav. Nom-nom-nom...

Stacey said...

Seems easy enough.. I can only imagine the amazing aroma coming from your kitchen while making this.. I was thinking about you yesterday because I found my Bride and Groom cookbook you gave me as a wedding gift.. I went thru it, and dog eared some recipes I'm going to try :)

Genn said...

Cute self portrait in your sassy apron!
That sauce sounds SO amazing.
I am happy I will get to try it at Bass Lake.
That last pic of Noah slurping up his noodles is great!

Nicolle said...

That is funny, I also posted about tomatoes and meatballs today! Your meal looks AMAZING. :) Cute picture of you in the apron too!

Anonymous said...

I copy down every recipe you blog about. I'm hungry!!!!!

Gloria Baker said...

How amazing and delicious sauce Kris! Look yum! gloria

Sunny Simple Life said...

I made sauce too but cooked it in my crockpot. Great way to use up the zukes too.

Ashleigh said...

I'm coming over for dinner after reading this! :)

deb said...

OI so would love to try this but unfortunately the rats are eating my tomatos as fast as they ripen.....so very very sad:(
I had dreams of hmoemade gazpacho this summer...not gonna happen..I wish we were neighbors!

The Tuscan Home said...

Good Lord, your sauce, meatballs, and zucchini look SOOOOOO good!! I am going to try that this weekend! Thanks for sharing and you look adorable! XO ~Liz