Season and brown the pork ribs

• Season the country-style ribs generously with salt, cracked black pepper and garlic powder.
• Heat the olive oil in a large pot over medium heat and brown the ribs on all sides without moving them too much.
• They do not need to cook through; they will finish in the sauce. Remove and set aside.

Brown the meatballs (optional)

• If making meatballs, brown them in the same pot until they develop color.
• Remove and set aside with the ribs.

Sauté the garlic and tomato paste

• In the same pot, add the chopped garlic, crushed red pepper, salt and cracked black pepper.
• Sauté over medium heat until fragrant.
• Add the tomato paste and stir constantly with the garlic.

Deglaze with red wine

• Pour in the red wine and scrape up the browned bits from the bottom of the pot.
• Cook until the alcohol burns off.

Add the crushed tomatoes and water

• Add the hand-crushed San Marzano tomatoes to the pot.
• Add water to the bowl used for crushing, swish and pour into the pot.
• Add water to one tomato can, swish, and pour into the pot.

First simmer

• Bring the sauce to a boil, then lower to a simmer.
• Cover the pot halfway with the lid and let it cook.

Add the passata and seasonings

• Add the jar of passata; fill the jar halfway with water, shake and add to the pot.
• Season with dried basil, oregano, garlic powder, bay leaves, salt and cracked black pepper.
• Return the pork and meatballs to the pot, add a pinch of sugar and the hunk of Pecorino Romano.

Long simmer

• Bring the pot to a boil, then lower to a simmer and cover halfway with the lid.
• Simmer on medium-low to low, tasting after the first hour and adjusting salt, pepper and water as needed.

Finish with fresh basil

• In the last minutes of cooking, add the roughly chopped fresh basil.
• Stir and simmer briefly.

Serve

• Serve the sauce over pasta, with the pork and meatballs on the side.
• Finish with a piece of Pecorino Romano.