This one comes from my families kitchen. Everyone makes it. The smell of this sauce cooking brings back memories. It is a great sauce without meat too.
In a large, deep, heavy duty pan, saute 2 onions, 4 sticks of celery, 2 green peppers, all chopped into 1/2 inch size squares, in 2 tablespoons of olive oil until they are soft. While they are cooking, add 1 tablespoon chopped garlic- fresh or jar, 2 tablespoons of Italian seasoning or your mix of oregano, rosemary, basil, thyme. Add a teaspoon of red pepper flakes. Add a couple of bay leaves. If adding meat, add your hamburger, about 2 pounds, now and cook until all red is gone. You could use ground turkey or wait and add meatballs later.
To this, add 4 cans of tomato sauce and 1 can of tomato paste. I add a beer- any kind or you could add red wine- about a cup to a cup and a half. Stir and cook about 2-3 hours on the lowest heat possible. If adding meatballs, cook them first and add them for the last half hour.
Serve with hot bread and pasta. Shake parmessan and more red pepper flakes, if desired.
Any leftovers can be used to make lasagna, if you happen to be that lucky. If you made meatballs, here’s your chance for a meatball sandwich – just find a nice fresh roll and fill wiht meatballs and top with some parmessan or mozerella.
- 2 pounds lean ground beef or turkey
- 2 yellow or white onions
- 4 stalks celery
- 2 green peppers
- 2-4 bay leaves
- 2 tablespoons dried italian seasoning
- 1 tablespoon chopped garlic
- 1 beer or 1 cup wine
- 4 cans tomato sauce
- 1 can tomato paste
- red pepper flakes
- parmessan cheese