Italian Spaghetti Sauce

When I was a child growing up in the 1960's and 70's, this spaghetti sauce recipe was a big hit in my house. The original recipe served 50 people! I have cut the recipe in half to post here. Even cut in half, there is still enough to make 3 large meals and have leftovers for the following day. My Mom said she could never get 50 servings out of the original recipe because the 7 of us were never satisfied with just one helping.

Why such a large recipe? Each summer when I was a child, my family along with 13 other families would caravan to Allegheny State Park in New York. We would spend a week in a rustic cabin at Camp 12. This summer event was repeated for 7 years in a row. During the week of camp, 2 families would take one day to cook meals for the rest of the camper's. This way we had 6 days to relax and have fun. My Mother and Mrs. H. would prepare this spaghetti sauce at home and freeze it in empty milk cartons to take to camp each year. Spaghetti night was always a big hit with the campers.

3 cups chopped onion

1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil

3 lbs. ground beef

2 (28 ounces) cans tomato puree

1 (12 ounce) can tomato paste

4 cups water

1 tsp black pepper

1/2 tsp cayenne pepper

2-1/2 Tbsp salt

1 Tbsp sugar

2 tsp garlic powder

1 tsp ground cloves

1-1/2 tsp oregano

1-1/2 cups grated Parmesan cheese

Saute onion in oil until tender. Add ground beef and brown. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Add rest of ingredients and simmer for 2 hours.

Use this sauce over your favorite pasta or make lasagna with it. Serve with a side salad and garlic bread.

Enjoy!