Cooking time for spaghetti sauce around here is a minimum of 8 hours, of course at low heat once it begins to boil. Some folks actually use domestic “pear shaped” tomatoes, many stick to the Italian imports. I have even heard very nasty rumors some may use beefsteak tomatoes!
Even supermarket butchers around here can provide ground meat to your preference. A very few shops in town can accept your orders in Italian. Some in Yiddish, (called Jewish by a few folks), others in German, Arabic and even a few are fluent in English. (Almost forgot Polish in one great deli!)
When I used to walk to high school I would pass four butcher shops. Today the same route is down to one who was not around then.
There is not a stand alone butcher shop within walking distance of where I live, but there is a very nice one a few blocks from where I work. The better butcher shops (expensive) will deliver.
Even supermarket butchers around here can provide ground meat to your preference. A very few shops in town can accept your orders in Italian. Some in Yiddish, (called Jewish by a few folks), others in German, Arabic and even a few are fluent in English. (Almost forgot Polish in one great deli!)
When I used to walk to high school I would pass four butcher shops. Today the same route is down to one who was not around then.
There is not a stand alone butcher shop within walking distance of where I live, but there is a very nice one a few blocks from where I work. The better butcher shops (expensive) will deliver.
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Cal,
I once heard of someone using eggs in meatballs, I think their bones are still nailed to the tree!
ES
I once heard of someone using eggs in meatballs, I think their bones are still nailed to the tree!
ES
Well y’all can do it wrong if need be 😉
My second family growing up was Sicilian and Nonna taught me to make meatballs at a early age, seeing as this woman barely spoke english i’m gonna roll with her version 🙂
she did always complain about the lack of pine nuts in the stores, and always used Cento San Marzano canned tomatoes. I’ve grown Marzano tomatoes just about every year but supposedly its like the vidalia onion…..if it isnt grown in the Campania region its not the same. The ones i’ve grown are still better than a regular roma……..i’ll get some pics of my plants later.
My second family growing up was Sicilian and Nonna taught me to make meatballs at a early age, seeing as this woman barely spoke english i’m gonna roll with her version 🙂
she did always complain about the lack of pine nuts in the stores, and always used Cento San Marzano canned tomatoes. I’ve grown Marzano tomatoes just about every year but supposedly its like the vidalia onion…..if it isnt grown in the Campania region its not the same. The ones i’ve grown are still better than a regular roma……..i’ll get some pics of my plants later.
I'm thinking about trying this YouTube video recipe. Its panade uses cubed bread, not breadcrumbs. He puts ricotta cheese in the balls. And egg, as a binding agent. No he's not from Naples or New Jersey. Lawn Guy Land, as his accent profoundly demonstrates.
- For The Meatballs:
- 4 slices white bread - ends removed, then cubed
- 1 cup (120g) ricotta
- 1 pound (454g) ground chuck
- 1 pound (454g) ground pork
- 1 cup (100g) Pecorino Romano cheese - grated
- (1/2) cup flat-leaf Italian parsley - minced
- 2 large eggs
- 2 cloves garlic, ground into paste
- 1+(1/2) teaspoons kosher salt
- (1/2) teaspoon black pepper
I'm Southern Italian and your recipe seems really good!! Please post a photo when you end cooking!
Cheers from Bari!
Gaetano.
Cheers from Bari!
Gaetano.
As promised here’s my marzapan mater’s 😎
While out there I noticed my tomatillos are taller than me!
Eggplants are doing well too.
While out there I noticed my tomatillos are taller than me!
Eggplants are doing well too.
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Bob, I have been envious of your gardens and gardening since you started posting back here. I miss those days.
Now, about your balls…
…I’ll put mine on the table next to yours any day my friend.
Then we let the ladies decide.
You in?
Now, about your balls…
…I’ll put mine on the table next to yours any day my friend.
Then we let the ladies decide.
You in?
Well Cal, our big balls rhetoric seems to go unappreciated 😀
Here’s this mornings haul from the garden, tried a new variety of beans this year ‘Seychelle’ compared to the ‘Blue Lake’ I‘ve been growing for years. Gotta say so far they are outperforming on every level including flavor! 😎
Here’s this mornings haul from the garden, tried a new variety of beans this year ‘Seychelle’ compared to the ‘Blue Lake’ I‘ve been growing for years. Gotta say so far they are outperforming on every level including flavor! 😎
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So a friend of mine in Cali has a gopher problem and is trapping them. question is are gophers worth the bother of trying to prep and cook?
We ate groundhogs (whistle pigs) in the mountains, made whistle pig pie (a basic meat pie) it was awesome if prepped correctly. Gophers are fairly close just miniturized! Theres a good bit of weight to a big groundhog (10-15 lbs) not sure what a gopher weighs but they look rather anemic. When in the rockies we ate some Marmot that was quite tasty, I reckon it comes down to how they taste whether or not its worth the effort. I‘ve heard gophers carry more diseases (like Hanta virus) due to their tight knit living conditions.
Them's some fine lookin' beans ya got there fella.
Will ya be chowin' those fresh or are some going into the tank for dilly beans?
Google says yes. Make sure you cook them well and avoid ones that previous humans might have tried to kill with Rodenticide. (not sure but didn't we used to call that Warfarin?)
This is the third batch so still in the chowin’ mode……so far we’ve steamed them, had them blanched and sautéed with garlic/fresh basil, this batch is destined for slow cooked with smoked hog jowel.
Next is canning, I’m not a big fan of dilly beans but the wife is……..any good recipes?
Next is canning, I’m not a big fan of dilly beans but the wife is……..any good recipes?
No recipe Bob. Like most things, I just wing it. As you know, I ferment rather than pickle, and I just keep putting things in the tank till it looks right, then on goes the water trap.
The only hints I can offer is to add a little white sugar and use yogurt water to get things going. Add the second half of the salt partway through. I'm sure you understand all of those so no need to explain, correct?
The only hints I can offer is to add a little white sugar and use yogurt water to get things going. Add the second half of the salt partway through. I'm sure you understand all of those so no need to explain, correct?
@mountainman bob
Herself here is also a fan of dilly beans. Especially when surrounded by a dry martini.
I've used this recipe with good success.
https://www.seriouseats.com/spicy-dilly-beans-recipe
@mountainman bob @Cal Weldon sounds like it's more a question of if he can be bothered to skin and gut them then. Will pass it on.
BTW bob: Kudos on the garden. Once again I have totally lost control of mine as I just don't get time with the kids so unless I want to eat nettles and cow parsley slim pickings for me this year.
BTW bob: Kudos on the garden. Once again I have totally lost control of mine as I just don't get time with the kids so unless I want to eat nettles and cow parsley slim pickings for me this year.