Traditional Sunday Gravy
Arguably the biggest Italian staple of them all is the Traditional Sunday Gravy.
Just about every household has their own version of this dish, and they will all make sure you know that theirs is the best because it came from their Great Italian Grandmother or however the story goes (we get it- yours is the best ever), but for anyone looking for a standard “go-to” recipe, this one is definitely a safe bet.
There are several variations of a typical Sunday Gravy, which all come down to the type of tomatoes and which meats you are using.
San Marzano tomatoes are from a specific region in Italy with rich volcanic soil and are known to be the best for good reason. With low seed counts, a sweet balanced flavor, and low acidity, these plum tomatoes are the perfect choice for a red sauce.
Traditionally, meatballs and sausage- hot or sweet (or both) are used, but for the adventurous- often times short ribs or Braciole (stuffed and rolled flank steak) are added to heighten the appeal. For this particular recipe, I am using Beef meatballs and Sweet Italian Sausage, which to me, are really all you need for a successful dish.
While most Italian cooks toss the pasta in a thin layer of red sauce prior to the official “saucing,” and top off with a dollop of fresh Ricotta before serving, I have recently had this served in an unconventional way at a nearby restaurant (Ariane Kitchen & Bar- Verona, NJ) who toss their pasta in Ricotta first and top off with the gravy after. I think it’s safe to say, there’s no going back! Simply remove the “al dente” pasta from the cooking water into a bowl of seasoned fresh Ricotta to lightly coat the pasta. Top off with the red sauce, sausage, & meatballs and serve hot immediately or make a day ahead and let the gravy settle for maximum results. Enjoy!
Traditional Sunday Gravy
Ingredients
- 3 28oz Cans Organic San Marzano Plum Tomatoes Hand crushed
- 3 TBSP Butter
- 1.5 Cups Chicken Stock
- 1/4 Cup Olive Oil Extra Virgin
- 1 Yellow Onion
- 10 Cloves Fresh Garlic Smashed & Chopped
- 6 Links Sweet Italian Sausage Skin on
- 12 Meatballs Beef
- 1 TSP Sugar
- 3 Fresh Basil Leaves
- Salt, Pepper, Crushed Red Pepper, & Onion Powder To taste
- Fresh Seasoned Ricotta For topping
Beef Meatballs
- 2 LB Ground Beef 80/20
- 1 Cup Grated Parmesan Cheese
- 4 Cloves Fresh Garlic Minced
- 2 Cups Seasoned Italian Breadcrumbs
- 2 Eggs
- 1 Oz Olive Oil Extra Virgin
- 5-7 Leaves Fresh Basil Chopped
- 1/4 Cup Fresh Parsley Chopped
- 1/4 Cup Half & Half
- 1 TSP Garlic Salt
- 1.5 TSP Onion Powder
- 2 TSP Salt To taste
- 1 TSP Black Pepper To taste
Instructions
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FOR MEATBALLS: Combine all “dry” ingredients together (including garlic & herbs) until well blended. Incorporate mixture with ground beef and add in eggs, oil, and half & half until evenly combined- being careful not to overwork or over-handle the meatballs and form into golf-ball sized spheres. For best results, bring all of the ingredients to room temperature before forming the meatballs. Bake meatballs for 15-20 minutes in a 350 degree oven.
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In a large silver or dutch oven pot over medium-high heat, drizzle with olive oil and brown sausage on all sides. Remove onto a paper towel lined plate and set aside.
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Add onion, garlic, & 1 TBSP of butter to the same pot, keeping the remaining oil and stirring continuously to prevent burning. While the garlic and onions are cooking, hand crush the tomatoes and pour into the pot once the garlic and onions have begun to turn a light golden brown. Reduce heat to very low.
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Once sauce has begun to warm through, add meatballs and sausage back in along with the onion powder, salt, pepper, sugar, chicken stock, and remaining butter.
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For the remaining 3.5-4 hours, adjust seasoning as necessary. If gravy is too acidic, add butter, chicken stock, and/or sugar (carefully) as necessary until desired taste is achieved. Add fresh basil leaves in during the last half hour.
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Serve over choice of pasta with fresh Ricotta and grated Parmesan cheese.