Catherine Scorsese's Pasta Sauce

• 1 large onion, peeled and minced
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 3 cans (28 ounces each) whole tomatoes in thick puree
• 2 cans (16 ounces each) tomato sauce
• 2 cups water
• 1 can (6 ounces) tomato paste
• 3 large cloves garlic, peeled
• 2 carrots, peeled
• 1 all-purpose potato, peeled
• 5 tablespoons minced fresh basil, or 1 tablespoon dried
• 5 tablespoons minced fresh parsley, or 1 tablespoon dried
• Salt to taste
• Cayenne pepper to taste
• 1/4 cup fresh bread crumbs
• 1/4 cup milk
• 6 ounces ground pork
• 6 ounces ground veal
• 6 ounces ground beef
• 1 large egg, lightly beaten
• 1/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan

1. In a 6-quart, or larger, saucepan or casserole, cook the onion in the oil, stirring occasionally, for 5 minutes.
2. In a blender or food processor, puree tomatoes and sauce.
3. Add tomato mixture to pan along with water, tomato paste, garlic, carrots, potato, 3 tablespoons of basil, 3 tablespoons of parsley, salt and cayenne to taste.
4. Bring to a boil, reduce to a simmer and, stirring occasionally, cook, partly covered, for 30 minutes.
5. In a small bowl, soak the bread crumbs in the milk until softened.
6. In a large bowl, combine bread-crumb mixture with meat, egg, Parmesan, remaining 2 tablespoons basil and parsley, salt, cayenne and 1/2 cup of sauce.
7. Gradually shred and add meat mix to sauce, a little at a time.
8. Partly cover, and bring sauce to a simmer, stirring occasionally, for 1 hour.
9. Before serving, remove garlic cloves, carrots and potato.
10. Use about 2 cups of sauce for each pound of pasta.

onion, olive oil, tomatoes, tomato sauce, water, tomato paste, garlic, carrots, potato, fresh basil, fresh parsley, salt, cayenne pepper, bread crumbs, milk, ground pork, ground veal, ground beef, egg, freshly grated parmesan

Taken from cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/8410 (may not work)