Bolognese Sauce with meatballs

Author: Chef Silvia
(How I learned to make it in Bologna, Italy)

Makes 4 servings
Ingredients:
* 3 to 4 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil (or enough to cover the bottom of the pan)
* Pinch of red pepper flakes
* 1 small onion, finely chopped
* 1 medium clove garlic, minced
* 1/2 lb ground pork
* 1/2 lb ground turkey
* ½ lb. of sausage meat (casing removed)
* 3 to 4 tablespoons sherry
* 2 16 oz cans of crushed tomatoes (or whole peeled crushed by hand)
* 1/4 cup half and half
* 2 slices of gluten-free bread (crumbled)
* 1/4 cup of freshly grated parmesan cheese
* Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
* 2 tablespoon Italian (flat-leaf) parsley, stems removed and chopped, for garnish

Directions:
1. Mix all the ground meat together in a mixing bowl and then divide in half.
2. Put the other half in a separate mixing bowl and add half the garlic, half the parsley, the parmesan, and the two slices of crumbled gluten-free bread.
3. Season with a pinch of salt and pepper and form into meatballs about the size of golf balls.
4. In the bottom of a large saucepan, add the oil and heat until hot but not smoking.
5. Add the meatballs, brown on all sides and remove from the pan.
6. Add the onions and sauté until soft, about 1 minute, then add the pepper flakes and garlic and sauté for a few seconds, or just until the garlic begins to brown.
7. Add the other half of the ground meat, and use a wooden spoon to break it into pieces and brown it on all sides, about 3 to  4 minutes. Be careful not to over stir and break up the meat chunks. You want them in big chunks for maximum flavor.
8. Add the sherry and stir.
9. Add the tomatoes and the meatballs and cook, stirring occasionally, until the sauce begins to boil. Lower the flame to medium/low and simmer for about 45 minutes or until the meat is thoroughly cooked.
10 Finish the sauce by adding the cream. Stir, reduce the heat to low, simmer for one more minute, and remove from the heat. Season with salt and pepper. Garnish with the parsley (or fresh basil).
11. Cook your favorite gluten free pasta according to the package directions. Drain. In a large platter, toss with a bit of the sauce. Top with additional sauce and the meatballs.

ENJOY!