No guarantees, but if you can tell me what city he was raised, who he got the recipe from, (Mom, Grandma, Uncle..etc), where they are from in Italy, and just the basic ingredients, I may be able to help you replicate it.. Really!
My hubby was a west Tx boy with distant Italian connections (Naples). I think he embroidered on a family recipe and turned it into his own.
Basic ingredients...onion, garlic, olive oil, ground beef, tomato juice, sauce and fresh tomatoes.
I’m sure these are not all of his ingredients. I have a problem because the olive oil will separate and float on the top.
Any help is appreciated, :)