Donatella Arpaia's Mama's Meatballs and Ragu Recipe

Ingredients

• ¼ cup extra virgin olive oil
• 2 celery stalks with leaves,
• chopped
• Kosher salt & freshly
• ground pepper
• 1 ½ lbs. (6-8) meaty, bone-in-pork
• spareribs, rinsed
• 1 ½ lbs. (6-8) sweet Italian
• sausage with fennel seeds, pierced all over with a fork
• 3 (35 oz.) cans whole or plum tomato purée
• 1 handful fresh basil leaves
• 1. Warm
• olive oil in a large, heavy-bottom pan over medium heat. Add
• celery and onion, season with salt and pepper, and sauté, partially covered
• about 5 minutes until golden and soft.
• 2. Add
• meats and raise the heat to medium-high.
• 3. Sauté, turning occasionally until
• browned all over. Add
• garlic and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add the wine and cook until it
• evaporates, 5 minutes.
• 4. Add
• tomato puree, basil, salt and pepper. Partially cover, bring to a boil, and
• reduce heat. Let it simmer 1 ½-2 hours.
• 1
• small loaf stale Italian bread (about 8 thick slices) torn into 2 1/2”
• chunks
• 2
• lbs. 80% lean ground beef chuck, broken up
• 5
• garlic cloves, coarsely chopped
• cup finely chopped flat-leaf parsley
• 1
• large egg, lightly beaten
• 1-½
• cups grated Parmigiano-Reggiano or Grana Padano
• Kosher
• salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 1. Put
• bread in a bowl and add enough warm water to cover. Let stand for 5 minutes,
• a tablespoon of meat into your palms and shape into a ball. Place on a baking
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