For the Sauce: 2 tablespoons olive oil 1 pound Italian Sausage 4 cloves garlic can tomato paste 1 35 oz can tomato puree 2 35 oz cans crushed tomatoes 2 cups water Salt and freshly ground pepper ground red pepper 1 tablespoon dried oregano 6 basil leaves torn into small pieces 1 teaspoon Morton's Nature's Seasoning
For the Meatballs: 2 lbs ground beef 1 cup freshly grated parmesan or romano cheese or both 1 cup plain breadcrumbs, preferably homemade 5 tablespoons freshly chipped fresh flat leaf parsley 6 eggs 2 teaspoons finely chopped garlic 2 teaspoons salt Freshly ground pepper 4 tablespoons olive oil 1 teaspoon Morton's Nature's Seasoning
To make the sauce, start by running the two cans of crushed tomatoes through a food mill and set aside. Discard the seeds and pulp. Heat oil in a large heavy pot over med/high heat. Pat the pork dry and put the pieces in the pot. Brown on all sides, about 10 minutes. Smash the garlic and add it to the pot. Cook until browned then remove. Add the tomato paste and cook with the sausage about a minute. Add the puree'd tomatoes and can of puree. Add the water and basil and season with salt, pepper, red pepper, oregano, and Morton's Nature's Seasoning. Bring to a simmer and slightly cover the pot. Cook for about 3 hours maintaining a light bubble.
After you get the sauce going start making the meatballs. Combine all the ingredients except the oil into a bowl. Mix thoroughly. Rinse your hands with cold water and lightly shape the mixture into about 2" balls. Heat 2 tbs of oil into a large frying pan. Brown the meatballs well on all sides, but do not over cook. They will feel slightly soft, but don't worry they will continue to cook when you add them into the sauce. I do the meatballs in two batches to not overcrowd the pan. I like to time it so that the meatballs cook in the sauce for about an hour, maybe slightly longer.
At about 2.5 hours in, check the consistency of the sauce. If it feels too thick add some water. Not thick enough take the lid off and let it cook a little longer.
As far as the meatball sandwich, the key is good french bread and my mom's homegrown oregano. Heat up the meatballs with some leftover gravy in the microwave. Add to the bread, season with oregano and Morton's Nature's Seasoning, and add provolone cheese. On the lid side, I brush with olive oil and add some more oregano. Yes, the key for me is oregano. Plus my mom's is the greatest in the world. I'm not kidding either. It's a descendent from the plant that her grandmother grew in Italy. Cook under the broiler until the bread is slightly browned and cheese is melted.
Another great dinner from the leftover gravy is Pork Parmesan. Slice a pork tenderloin in about 3/4" to 1" thick slices. Cover a slice on both sides with Saran Wrap and pound with the flat side of a mallet until flat. You can go pretty thin. For the breading, I use a bowl of flour, then a bowl of egg, then a bowl of breadcrumbs. Season the breadcrumbs with a fair amount of chopped parsley, salt, pepper, parmesan cheese, and of course Morton's Nature's Seasoning. Dip each patty in the flour, then egg, then breadcrumbs. Put them all on a plate. Get a frying pan hot with a mixture of vegetable oil and olive oil about 3/8" to 1/2" deep. Fry the patties on each side to your doneness. I like them kind of crispy. Line the bottom of a large baking dish with the patties and cover with the leftover gravy. Top with mozzarella cheese and bake at about 375 deg until the cheese is melted.