Dinner Prep Photolog

[frigilux]

Jeff--- Great recipe! I'm going to try it today, as I have company coming for dinner tonight and spaghetti/meatlballs with garlic toast and a salad sounds very good.

People laugh when I say it, but my request for a Last Meal would be a really well-made spaghetti and meatballs with red sauce, garlic bread and a glass of Chianti (although I no longer imbibe, I'd make an exception for my Last Meal, LOL!). It's the ultimate comfort food. And I love twirling spaghetti on my fork, too.

Bay leaves: Must be an Italian thing; My mom used to toss a bay leaf or two into the frying pan whenever she fried meatballs, pork chops, chicken, etc. I'll have to start doing that; it lends a nice fragrance to the oil. I'd completely forgotten about that.

 

[jeffg]

Eugene, just curious to know how it turned out, and what brand of canned tomatoes you used. As far as I know Paradiso doesn't exist any more, and there's a rather long story about the type of tomato (San Marzano) they used. San Marzanos are preferred for sauces, but they're very delicate with an extremely thin skin (which makes them difficult to harvest and even harder to peel and can properly). Also, about 15 years ago a virus wiped out nearly all established fields of San Marzanos in Italy, and most plants were replaced with a modified tomato strain which is disease resistant but which isn't nearly as good/sweet.

Anyway please post back either here or via private mail. Thanks!

 

[frigilux]

Jeff-- The sauce turned out great! I always use Muir Glen canned tomato products, as I find they have a very fresh taste. I even have some leftover for lunch, today. Very tasty, even without the veal gelatin.