La cucina di famiglia

First recipe has to be the staple- MEAT SAUCE.

Make it. It is easy and way better ( and healthier) than anything you can buy. And it freezes well.

Ingredients

large Onion

2-3 Celery stalks

2-3 Carrots

Pancetta ( chopped)

Sweet Sausage 3-4

Brasciole ( optional- see below)

Ground beef ( or some inexpensive cuts of steak)

Processed paste tomatoes or canned tomatoes ( whole organic) see notes below

Basil or other herbs

Salt

Pepper

Chili paste ( optional)

Red wine

Basic Meat Sauce

Finely chop an onion, a few carrots and stalks of celery.

Sauté pancetta until it is light brown much of the fat melts.

Add your onions, then the celery and carrot.

In a sauté pan, brown some sweet Italian sausage. We make our own, but buy the best you can. We prefer the sausage without fennel. Italian shops that make their own often have this option.
Alternative: you can buy some ground pork, add a cup of wine per pound- red or white- and chopped garlic, salt and pepper, and let it marinate overnight. Then sauté that.
When it is browned, remove the casing from some of the sausage, and slice the remaining sausage. Add to pot.
Note: if you can get some Italian beef rolls ( brasciole), brown them and add them. It’s awesome!

Add some ground beef to pot. You may also brown some steaks and add to the pot. After they cook for 2 hours, chop them up and put them back in.

Add a cup or so of red wine once the meat is browned. Have one yourself- you’ve been working hard.

Process your tomatoes to whatever consistency you like. Here I am using canned, organic whole tomatoes. I will add some of my own paste tomatoes I’ve put through my tomato processor. You may also add some crushed tomatoes. Fire- roasted tomatoes add a nice flavor.

I add some chili paste, a piece of parmigiana rind, and lots of pepper. Maybe some pepper flakes. Add kosher salt.

Let it **slowly** simmer, uncovered, for about three hours. Adjust your salt and pepper. It will thicken. Add your chopped basil. I sometimes add some fresh thyme, and/ or dried oregano flakes. Experiment- find out what you like best and make it your own. You really can’t make it taste badly.

Have an Italian red with your pasta. The sauce cries out for these wines. Each is made better by its partner. A Chianti or other Sangiovese wine will be great, as well as a Nebbiolo wine. This particular wine is a Montepulciano wine from le Marche. I had it at the winery. Freaking awesome. Can’t get this producer here, but you may find a Rosso Conero, or its little brother, Rosso Piceno. My wine notes can be found on the website “Delectable”.

These ribs are not fall off the bone tender, they don’t have a sticky, sweet sauce on them. They aren’t smoked. Rather, they are grilled, chewy, easy, and delicious.

Ingredients:

Any rack of pork ribs., cut into 3 rib sections

Salt

Pepper

For the vinaigrette:

2-3 T of EVOO

2 cloves garlic, chopped fine

Large sprig of fresh rosemary, chopped fine

Juice of one lemon

Salt and pepper ribs at least an hour before grilling. There is no need to remove silver skin.
Prepare the vinaigrette: combine the garlic, olive oil, and rosemary in a small bowl. Microwave for 30 seconds ( it will mellow the garlic). Then add the lemon juice and mix.
Grill the ribs over direct heat on a hot grill. Start meat-side down. After about 5 minutes, when the meat is nicely browned, turn it over for 5. After this, continue grilling and turning every 2 minutes until the meat is 150 degrees. Check the temp in multiple places. At this point you may baste with some of your vinaigrette, but it’s optional. Because some ribs have a pronounced curve, you may have to move it around to get parts up to 150. Do not overcook. It could become like leather!