Hello Anthony,
Well stumbled around forever trying to find a real pasta sauce and thankfully found yours. I grew up back east in Connecticut and the craziest Italian family lived across the street. Us kids were best friends with those kids. The father worked for Progresso foods in New York City and their house ALWAYS had something on the stove. We were a French & Hungarian family, and our neighbors next door were Norwegian. Quite a melting pot for one block. Anyway, made the sauce this past weekend and it was to die for. My question, I now live in Klamath Falls, Oregon (WHERE???) (also known as B.F.E. ) and some products were hard to find. Every type of Chianti but the Ruffino Classico you mentioned-found a wicker basket wrapped bottled called Bell'Agio so I was stuck with that one. Also, for the olive oil, found the Filipio Berio, will wonders never cease, and bought the one for the sautéing and grilling, any difference between extra virgin, etc.? As far as the base products, used Hunts Puree`, notice in your pics you use Hunts Tomato sauce. My sauce was a little on the thick side, but I prefer it that way, just wondering if puree or sauce is better. This sauce is so fantastic, and reading your recipe brought back memories from my childhood that are priceless. My friends Grandma would put the big pot of sauce on the kitchen table and call us kids to gather around and "tell me what pieces you want" and fish out sausage, pork chops, meatballs, etc. She used to smack her grandson on the back of the head because he would lean way over the pot and get in her way (he couldn't wait to eat) . The classic LOUD, loving, ( Mafia related-I swear) family. Your sauce was very similar. I got a kick out of your bathrobe in your lasagne recipes. That's next to make. Didn't make the Braciole, that's next to go with the lasagne. Thought I might have enough left over sauce to make a lasagne from Sunday's meal but it is now Tuesday and we have been eating it since Sunday for breakfast, lunch, and dinner, and sneaking a cold meatball out of the sauce in the meantime here and there. What a meal!!! Screwed up the garlic bread, indulged in too much of the grape while preparing the sauce, you know, some for the sauce, some for the cook, some more for the cook, save some for the sauce, but wound up pleasantly buzzed and let the bread char a little too much, but a success anyway! Loved it, will never make any other sauce but this. You are to be worshipped! Thank you very much for everything.
What an awesome website!
 ~ Danielle in Klamath Falls (B.F.E.) actually about 300 miles south of Portland.
Danielle,
First, thanks for the kind words about the site. I have poured a lot of love into it. Itsa nice to share no? :-) Yes, I go back and forth between Sauce and Puree', I don't really notice a difference either way. Regardless of which I use the end result is always based on how long I cook the sauce. I usually cook the sauce until I get it to the oh so perfect consistency I'm looking for. Usually the sauce is finished and all the meatballs and braciole is all cooked and then the last 30 min. to 1 hour is just cooking down the sauce to remove any excess water, thus bringing it to the thickness I'm looking for. But this is a very delicate process. It must not be cooked on to high of a temperature and or to long of a period of time, because you can burn/overcook the sauce which would ruin the whole thing. So it's cook, taste, a little wine, cook, taste, cook, taste, a little more wine, cook, taste, cook, taste, etc... until you have perfection! :-) I always fine myself saying out load something like "Hmm! Auuh! OH GOD that's good!!!!" Even if I'm by myself. Sometime I feel I could just fill up a bowl with the sauce and consume it like soup ;-) I just love your statement below about the grandma smacking her grandson up-side the head. LOL!!!! I remember this! I used to get smacked up-side the head from my grandma when I tried to steel a meatball. High risk, trying to steel meatballs. You screwed up the garlic bread.. oh bummer. You see, I made some specific notes on this. I believe I remember mentioning to pay very close attention to the garlic bread when cooking... um, but I did not mention about the hazards of a little too much vino. That tends to slow down reaction time ;-) You like the robe? My mother in-law made that for me. Nice and colorful. Everyone should cook in their bathrobe. he he he Let me know how the Lasagna comes out. It would be awesome if you took some photos of the process. <no pressure> ;-) Would like to get more photos up in the "Visitors Photo" area.
Ciao, Happy cooking!
P.S. I am not to be worshipped :-\
In my humble opinion only Jesus Christ is to be worshipped :-)
Ciao,
~8-) Anthony
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