Nonie's Meat Sauce

Once in a while, if you are extremely lucky, a recipe comes along that transforms your life. Nonie's Meat Sauce is one of those recipes. About 12 years ago a friend showed me how to make it. She had learned from her friend, who was Nonie's granddaughter (and then she told two people, and so and so on...). Apparently, Nonie was a delightful old Italian grandmother who really knew how to cook. The ingredients are simple enough (steak, tomato sauce, an onion, butter and bouillon) but when combined they are heaven. Now, don't be put off by what you read next, but it takes four hours to make. I can't stress enough how it is sooooo worth it - and it is not four active hours, basically you need to mash the sauce with a potato masher every hour on the hour for the first three hours and then every fifteen minutes for the last hour. The smell that will waft through your kitchen during that time is to die for, and so is the taste when you are done. I often also make gnocchi at the same time, but it also goes well with angel hair pasta. Honestly, I would eat it off of a spoon out of the pot, it's just that good. It also freezes well (is there anything this sauce can't do?), so you might want to make a double batch. You'll thank me.

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Never having met Nonie, I can only imagine her as a sweet little old Italian woman who was always cooking and wanted everyone to eat, eat, eat. But when one ponders the grandmothers of TV shows past, the same image is not easily congered. For instance, take Granny on "The Beverly Hillbillies". I only remember her making opossum stew in the ce-ment pond. And, given the hard times of the Great Depression, Grand Ma Walton (really, you need the name of the show?) probably only ever made ketchup soup. Just as unappetizing, Grand MaMa on "The Addams Family" seemed singly capable of recipes using eye of newt as an ingredient. And finally, Endora on "Bewitched" only ever made trouble, mostly for Darren, but sometimes for everyone. I'll stick with my favorite grandmother, Nonie, the one I don't know, with the awesome sauce.


The Recipe:

1 pound sirloin tip or round steak, cut into 1 inch cubes
1 medium onion, chopped
2 chicken bouillon cubes
1 stick of  unsalted butter (1/2 cup)
3 15oz. cans tomato sauce (use good sauce, don't cheap out)
1/3 cup olive oil

In a large pot, saute the onions in the butter and oil until soft. Add the steak and brown. Stir in the tomato sauce and bouillon and bring to a boil. Reduce to simmer. Simmer for four hours, mashing with a potato masher (or ricer) every hour for the first three hours and then every 15 minutes for the last hour.
Serves 6-8.

Note: When mashing at the first two hours there will still be chunks of the beef, but by the third hour hour they should be broken down and the onions cooked into the sauce. Mash each time for about two or three minutes. This is your lucky day.