Meatballs and "Gravy" -- Campania Style!!

• For meatballs
• ground beef↗3 lbs
• wet stale Italian bread or 2 cups breadcrumbs (see instructions below)2 cups
• eggs↗3
• milk (see instructions below)↗1⁄2 - 1 cup
• chopped fresh flat-leaf Italian parsley or 2 tablespoons parsley flakes1⁄2 cup
• dried basil↗1 1⁄2 teaspoons
• grated parmesan cheese4 tablespoons
• salt↗1 tablespoon
• pepper↗1 teaspoon
• cloves minced garlic or 1 tablespoon garlic powder3 cloves
• olive oil or corn oil, for frying↗
• For gravy
• (29 ounce) cans tomato puree↗2
• (29 ounce) can water↗1
• (12 ounce) can tomato paste↗1
• cloves garlic, crushed↗3
• tablespoons dried basil↗2
• cup red wine or 1/8 cup sugar↗1⁄8
• dash red pepper flakes, maybe (HALT!! Add no more spices!)↗1

Step-by-step instructions

1. 1

   It's preferable to use the stale bread rather than the bread crumbs.

2. 2

   Break it up and soak it in warm tap water until is starts to soften.

3. 3

   Squeeze it with your hands to get out excess water, then"smush" it with your fingers.

4. 4

   Use the lesser amount of milk if using the wet stale bread.

5. 5

   Use the greater amount if using the bread crumbs.

6. 6

   Mix all the meatballs ingredients well.

7. 7

   Form into balls about 1 1/2 inches in diameter.

8. 8

   Slightly flatten each meatball.

9. 9

   Brown very well in hot oil on both sides.

10. 10

    (Can also be baked on an oiled pan in a 425 degree oven. Need to be turned to brown both sides).

11. 11

    Add the gravy ingredients to a large pot and add the browned meatballs.

12. 12

    Bring to a gentle boil then simmer.

13. 13

    1 1/2 hours is probably enough, but the longer, the better.

14. 14

    Even better heated over the next day.

15. 15

    *You can also add Italian sausage to this.

16. 16

    Brown it well in the same pan in which you've browned the meatballs then add to the gravy pot.

17. 17

    You need to probably simmer the sauce for AT LEAST 1 ½ hours if you add sausage to make sure the sausage is cooked through.