Nonnina’s Sugo Siciliana in the Crock Pot

                                                      Sugo e Polpette  (Meatballs & Sauce)

I choose to believe that my Sicilian grandmother (Concetta Annaloro Tamburo) would have approved of me using a crock pot for her wonderful recipe.  The weather has been so hot and the thought of cooking on top of the stove made me feel faint.  Using her ingredients but cooking them in a crock pot just seemed logical.  It worked beautifully and the RV stayed comfortable. 

Sauce/Gravy:

Olive oil
5-6 cloves of garlic, chopped
3-6 oz. cans of tomato paste
Water to desired thickness
2-3 Boxes Pomi tomatoes**
8-10 fresh basil leaves, chopped (Preferably Genovese basil)
Nutmeg
Salt and pepperoncini (black pepper)

Add 3 cans of tomato paste to the crock pot. Add water until you reach desired thickness of sauce. Add the chopped garlic and stir in.  Next, add the Pomi Tomatoes and chopped basil to taste. Grate in some nutmeg to taste, salt and pepperoncini.  Set crock pot on high and cook while getting meatballs ready.

Meatballs/Polpette:  

1 package Italian Sausage, casings removed
2-3 lbs. hamburger
2-3 tbls. Fennel
2-3 slices Italian bread, cubed and soaked in water
2 eggs
Salt and pepperoncini

In a large bowl combine hamburger, Italian sausage, Italian bread cubes soaked in water, 2 eggs, fennel seeds to taste and salt.  Mix together by hand.  Form meatballs by using an ice cream scoop. 

Put the meatballs in a baking pan and bake for approximately 20 minutes at 350 degrees.  Baking them first helps release some of the fat and won’t make your sauce greasy.  If any grease accumulates in the crock pot, skim off before serving.

Add the meatballs to the sauce and continue cooking on high for about two hours.  Reduce the heat to low and cook for 6 more hours.

When ready to serve, mix some of the sauce with cooked spaghetti and put the rest in a bowl.  Put the meatballs in a separate bowl and serve. 

Mangiare e piacere (Eat and enjoy!).

**Using Pomi tomatoes is a personal preference of ours.  We prefer them because they taste like old fashion tomatoes.  They are expensive, more so than Cento or other brands, but they are worth every penny.  Of course, you can do like I do and order them by the case online.  It comes out a bit cheaper and they’re delivered to your door.  Or, in our case, to our daughter’s door.