One of Joe Daniels’ many favorite Italian dishes:

Homemade Meatballs and Spaghetti Sauce

(from Kathy Hampton Daniels and her son, Matt, affectionately known to us as Matt D.)

While Kathy could make this sauce in her sleep, her sweet son, Matt D, compiled an Italian cookbook for a school project when he was in high school. He aptly named it That’s Amore. Strongly suggesting he publish it, alas, he has not yet…this book may just be the impetus he needs.

I referenced Joe’s Italian heritage on our 2nd stop where you met the Ya-Yas. Since I talk about the Ya-Yas being “meatball friends” (see Bible Study questions), it seemed natural to use Carm’s meatball recipe. Carm was Joe’s Mother. Kathy’s made this recipe countless times for countless hungry souls, the Yas-n-Yos many time the beneficiaries. Matt D’s Italian heritage is so important to him especially after an epiphany he had in Italy. It’s not a coincidence his children call him “Bobo” which is “Daddy” in Italian. About this sauce Matt says, “This is a secret recipe and I actually had trouble putting this in my book. As a gift from me to you, I would like to present you with the passport to my heart: sauce and meatballs. This is no laughing matter. The five Daniels cousins have been known to frequently hide sauce and meatballs, and if you’re not in the family, fuhgettaboudit. There’s no way you’re getting within thirty feet of the pot.”

Ingredients:
1 ½ pound of ground sirloin
2/3 cup bread crumbs
2/3 cup grated Pecorino Romano cheese
1 serving spoon of pepper
1 serving spoon of salt
1 clove of garlic, finely chopped
7 eggs

Directions:

  • Place sirloin in a large mixing bowl.

  • Cover with 2/3 cups of bread crumbs.

  • Add 2/3 cups of grated Pecorino Romano cheese.

  • Cover with a serving spoon of pepper, and then a serving spoon of salt.

  • Add one clove of finely chopped garlic.

  • Add the seven eggs.

  • Mix all of this well with your hands.

  • Fry in lard at medium to high heat. Do not burn.

  • Turn meatballs occasionally with a fork.

  • Change grease in the pan if it starts to burn or brown.

  • After frying the meatballs, add them to the tomato sauce.

Gram’s Sauce
Ingredients:
3-4 pounds of pork loin end roast, bone-in
Trim fat from pork
1-2 Tablespoons of lard
1 clove of garlic
5 12-ounce cans of tomato paste

Directions:

  • Brown garlic and take it out of the pot.

  • Brown pork on all sides.

  • Open five 12-ounce cans of tomato paste. Put tomato paste in with the meat. Add six 12-ounce cans of water. Mix well.

  • Lower heat to medium.

  • Add salt to taste.

  • If sauce starts to get thick, add more water.

  • Cook for 3 ½ to 4 hours.

Fun footnote: Matt reveals in his book Kathy’s all-time record is frying three hundred and twenty-one of Gram’s meatballs for a party she was having. WAY-2-GO, Kath!!!

And that, Sweet Sister-Friend, THAT’S AMORE.