Leftover Meat Sauce

[gastronomy]

Does anyone have any good ideas on using up a leftover meat sauce. Mine has ground beef, veal, pork, hot sausage and pancetta. (YUM!) Red wine, beef stock and tomatos simmer with carrot, onion and garlic to make a really great sauce.... Now i need to make the leftovers creative.... Any ideas??

[Barbarella]

Hey-- no ideas at this time, but could I have the receipe sounds wonderful!!

[coconutz]

I too think freezing till you taste buds want it again. But what about making a Lasagne Bolognese with it?

[Barbarella]

Hey coconutz, happen to have a receipe for bolognese sauce?

[GretchenS]

I have made this recipe for bolognese with great success, except I use equal parts ground beef, pork and veal.

http://www.foodnetwork.com/food/recip...

Also if you google, Karl S has posted a detailed wonderful-sounding recipe on this board in the past.

[dietfoodie]

I'm in the same boat! I made a huge batch of Sunday gravy yesterday, I have a ton left, and my freezer is packed. I'm going to make meat-stuffed manicotti for dinner tomorrow... maybe save some of the ricotta and make a small lasagna for the weekend (anyone have a good small lasagna recipe?). Or do an oven chicken cacciatore.

[purple goddess]

If it's thick enough, or can be further reduced to a stew consistency you can make arancini's out of it.

Cut mozz into 1cm cubes. Form the sauce into balls about the size of your fist. Press a mzz cune into the centre, Crumb in breadcrumbs and parm. (I dounble dip using an egg wash) Refrigerate until firm and then deep fry until golden. Serve with salad and spicy tomato sauce.

[Louise]

You can also make a polenta lasagna. Make the polenta then pour it into a loaf pan to set. The next day, turn it out, slice it thinly, a taut thread is easier than a knife. Then make the lasagna using the polenta slices instead of pasta.

Or you could do the baked ziti like another poster said. Mmm, ziti.

[gastronomy]

You all are great!! Thank you- I love the leftover Sunday sauce idea- soo yummm!!!! Empanada and Calazone sounds yummy too- I will leave the decsion to the family.... :) Thank yu for such great ideas....

[jfood]

Try freezing it and enjoying a couple of weeks later. The meat sauce you described belongs on one, and only one thing, PASTA!! Do not upset the meast sauce Gods by using this heavenly recipe on a second choice.

[Davwud]

Here, here.

I would only change pastas. Not from pasta. I may add it on bread if there wasn't enough to freeze.

DT

[ChiliDude]

Top polenta with it!

[lukeydog]

Years ago there was a dining icon in Queens and their specialty was leftover Sunday sauce (very similar to yours) They called it refried ziti....You would flash fry the sauce with scallions,garlic and olive oil...very hot and very quickly paying close attention to the chunks of meat and being careful not to burn or overcook any part..Once the flash fry process was completed you would take the now hot gravy and mix it with a pan of cooked ziti (al dente) and add 3 cheeses careful to top off the mixture with frsh mozzarella and a smidge of red pepper...Pop it in the oven for 3 to 5 minutes the last 40 seconds in the broiled and voila you now have a very fufilling happy ending to your sauce...Oh the name of the restaurant was Connies in Richmond Hill....The recipe was Jimmy (owner and chef's) pride and joy. Not from his family but from his days in prison cooking for the wiseguys as he used to say!!

[Connies]

My name is Michael Epifanio. My grandfather was Jimmy Epifano. I worked at Connies until I was 18 years old. Cooking at the restaurant when I was 12. You have the recipe for the "Fried Ziti" wrong. I'd be happy to give you the correct version- and the story is wrong as well...

[jfood]

could you please post both recipe and story. The first for the mouth and the second for the soul.

TIA

[Connies]

Connie’s Peasant Pasta

The story- My grandfather was born in Naples Italy. He grew up on a farm and each day the family would cook pasta an a meat dish for the farm workers. The leftover pasta and meat course was never thrown away, instead the leftovers would be sauteed the next day in a hot skillet and topped with mozzarella and provolone and baked in the oven.The recipe follows: I do have some wise guys stories with recipes if any one is interested. Enjoy!

“Fried Ziti”
Heavy Duty sauté Pan that can be transferred into the oven

1 # Ziti
2 Tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
2 garlic cloves, minced
1/4 tsp. coarse pepper
1/2 cup Marinara sauce
1 Tbsp. butter
4 whole scallions, chopped
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. oregano
1/2 cup mozzarella, grated
8 Fresh Basil Leaves Chopped
½ Cup provolone grated
4 Tbsp Percorino Romano Cheese
Cook Ziti drain and refrigerate to chill. Transfer ziti, if used, to a board and chop coarsely. In a large skillet, heat butter and olive oil, add scallions and garlic, saute briefly. Add chopped ziti, basil and cook, stirring and shaking the pan back and forth, until pasta is golden. Stir in salt, pepper, oregano and sauce mixing well. Top with scatter grated mozzarella evenly over the top. Bake in a preheated oven 400 degrees for 10-15 minutes to melt cheese and brown, or run under broiler (watching carefully) for about 5 minutes. Serve at once.

You can add the following while you are sautéing the scallions:
Pepporoni
Mushrooms
Sausage (Cooked and Sliced)
Meatballs (Cooked and Sliced)
Sundried Tomatoes

[VFirth]

Michael, in the late 60's early 70's, my mom Virginia White and I lived nearby on 114th Street near Myrtle Avenue. She and a Queens Democratic Club met regularly at Connie's. I remember Jimmie well and he basically let me spend days at the restaurant while my mom had to work. I made the pizza dough down in the basement, made meatballs, did the dishes and tried to help out. Jimmie would feed me and even would give me $5 bill as my pay each week. If you can, send me a reply or send a note to [e-mail]. My mom died just last year, but we spoke of Connie's often.

[foxy]

My wife and I ate the fried ziti at Connie's until we moved out of Richmond Hill many years ago. We have many fond memories of our meals under the El. I tried to make this dish at home but was never able to get it quite right. I understand Connie's closed along with Regents Row, another area dining icon in queens. I would love to have the recipe to make, enjoy and reminisce.

[waver]

When you have a chance, I'd love the real deal as well (story and sauce).

[FrJim]

Michael - I, like so many other priests, was a frequent visitor to Connies, and enjoyed your grandfather's hospitality so much! He was a gentle man, and so kind. I would love to discuss a thought I ahd with you if you could contact me.....thanks! Fr. Jim

[Connies]

Father Jim,

I have been very busy just signed back in. Do you have a phone number where I can contact you?

Michael Epifanio

[FrJim]

Michael - go to www.telecaretv.org you can get me through the site!
God Bless!
Father Jim

[Heatherb]

I would be having it over pasta for as long as it took to use it up. Sounds too good to have any other way. Rigatoni with some freshly grated cheese and crusty bread on the side. Mmmm.

Hope I'm not being sacrilegious, but maybe dump on a pizza crust (homemade or otherwise)? Then top with a little bit of cheese before baking.

I liked the empanada idea though...I was thinking "calzone"--same diff.

[Dee S]

Pasta yes! I would try a mushroom ravioli with that sauce.

[Megiac]

You could stir some ricotta into the sauce and serve it over ziti.

[chocolate chick]

How about empanadas? Sounds like the perfect filling!

[Kater]

I'd recommend making some polenta with made with a little bit of sharp provolone. You could serve it soft, or let it harden and grill a few slices or even poach cubes of it.

[OnceUponABite]

Your suggestion makes me think of poaching eggs... if the sauce is loose enough, I'd poach some eggs in the sauce and serve it with toast!