Italian homemade meatballs and sauce with Nonna

[LabCat]

I remember back in college, I went to my roommate's house for dinner. Their nonna was over helping mom cook dinner. My roommate just wanted to play video games, so I wandered into the kitchen and asked Nonna if I could help.

She looked at me like "You want to do WHAT?" then came over and gave me a big hug. She and roommate's mom started teaching me how to cook - which also made roommate very happy of course 😝

Good mentors, no matter what their craft, are truly worth their weight in gold.

[This-isGirl]

Really appreciate the advice and words of wisdom from nonno. He is so sincere and I felt like I was sitting at the table and he was talking to me 💜

[loubock]

LOVE nonno and nonna, they remind me of my Italian grandparents. My nonna cooked just like this, no measurements, she just knew and it was always delicious food, no matter what she made. Your nonno is an excellent artist, I'm surprised he isn't known for his art, he has many artistic talents. Thank you for sharing your family with us, this is very special. God bless this beautiful family. Baci e auguri from Florida

[thereturningshadow]

Before my Italian mother died 2.5 years ago she taught me her recipe for meatballs and sauce. Your grandma and my mom are the only ones that I know of that use veal in their meatballs. All the restaurants never use it. However, what my mom did with her meatballs was to brown them in a frying pan first and THEN put them in the sauce. That sauce would simmer for AT LEAST SIX HOURS before removing the meatballs and then about another hour before jarring the sauce.

Back in the 80s my mom would make this sauce EVERY Sunday. It became such a ritual that I nicknamed it Sunday Sauce. Everyone who has ever tasted mom's meatball and sauce recipe LOVED THEM.

I remember one time in the late 80s a friend came over one night and I heated up some meatballs and a little sauce in a bowl and told him to try the best meatballs and sauce he ever tasted. After the first bite he literally never took his eyes off the bowl and held it near his face to inhale the aroma. Whenever I jokingly tried to take the bowl he turned to prevent it.

Another time I remember was when was in college and my graphic design class was having a Christmas potluck that the students brought in. Well the night before mom and I made 65 meatballs and sauce, to large pot fulls. Then next morning I brought in container full of meatballs and sauce and a crockpot for them to simmer in throughout the day. OMG!!!! You want to talk about the most popular dish in the room. Once that crockpot was going ALL the students were "drooling" to get some meatballs. The aroma wafted out of the classroom into the hall and anyone passing by would stop at the door and inhale. In a very short time ALL the meatballs were gone.

Mom's recipe was handed down from her mom and from her mom going back to the homeland. That's when you know you have a good recipe.

[lucieni]

Thank you Vanessa and Julian for introducing us to your gorgeous grandparents… Pomeranians, Video’s and meatballs made with love xx

[milliehouston]

Not even a minute in and I’m in love with your family. I’m a NY Italian and this is a BIG memory of my family for me! 💕

[LianeAlbertNC]

I think Spicy Nonna and Nonna Pia should get together. They’re two gems that their families share with the world!

[enjakuro]

omg I love how grandparents all over the world have similar mannerisms like nonno being 'you never tasted a fig like this before' *finger*

[twiggystardust]

"A plate of this." My Irish grandmother used that same recipe. 😆

[Silverity]

I'm so glad you're doing this. I recently lost my Dad, and we used to cook together... but same thing.. we don't measure anything, nothing is written down, and now I only know half of every recipe! We are an Italian family too, so I am hoping that by watching these videos it will help me figure out our own family recipes <3

[sloopy]

The love this family shares is so strong it comes right through this video. What a blessing!

[lindas]

Oh my, I had no idea Nonna and Nonno were on Youtube also. I've been watching on fb. I just love these two, Nonna is such a good cook, and her spicy attitude and words bring many smiles to my face. Nonno is so talented, he can do so many things. I hope his grandchildren are learning from them both. They have so many things worth learning that just aren't taught any more. Many blessings and much love form Livonia Michigan ❤

[MrBetaKiller]

"You'll never taste a fresh fig like that" HAHA I love that energy

[SamMurphyHSV]

This made me smile today. When your nonna said "I don't measure anything", I remembered my greek grandmother telling me "Just enough of each ingredient" when I would ask her how much of each spice to use. I lost her last year but this brought back alot of happy memories of going to Greece and eating my grandmothers cooking.

[exnUS]

Holy cow Vanessa! Is she making meatballs for the whole village?

[andie]

My Pop's was the king of meatballs and sauce! He tried the meatballs before they went into the sauce and the sauce...took all day to make. We'd start I'm the morning and by that night it would be ready. It only got tastier as the days went by! I miss my Pop's and cooking with him.

[kathleenpengelly]

When I was a little girl and was at my grandparents my grandmother would give me canned peaches or pears and add red wine to them as a treat ….ohh that made me smile 😊😊😊😊😊😊. We would also get wine cut with 7-up as kids on holidays .

[kathleenorr]

Here from Vanessa’s channel…loving it!

[clancycrazycavies]

Videos of your family is like sharing gold with the entire world ❤ Thank you all so much!

[edmclaughlin]

I come from McLaughlins and Derisos. I am blessed to have two cultures that have great food. Holidays were a circus! I will cherish them forever. I have tried to pass this on to my children.