Any of you take the time to make Sunday "gravy", spaghetti sauce?

[Hotler]

With all the meat etc.
Thank you.

[peacefreak2.0]

1. Following.

And hoping for recipes.

[JustAnotherGen]

2. My husband does

But he's an immigrant from Calabria. They don't make 'gravy' - I think that's a Sicilian thing?

Sauce is garlic with the hearts cut out, basil, olive oil, tomatoes, salt, pepper.

Ragu is lamb, beef, oregano, tomatoes, olive oil, salt, and pepper. The beef and lamb are thinly slice and they 'melt' into the ragu.

[Hotler]

3. A couple of recipes I found to compare, there are a lot on Youtube.

https://spaghettisauceandmeatballs.com/

https://www.newyorkstylesausage.com/nys-pasta-sauce-the-original-red-lead/

I'm not trying to sell sausage.

[Paper Roses]

4. This old Italian calls it 'Sauce" OK, I'm from an italian family.

Boston area with a large population of Italians call it both.
My "off the boat" grandparents called it 'sauce". My nearby Italian friends(some of them) call it gravy.

Yesterday I made sauce w/ canned tomatoes(2 large), a can of paste, a few lightly cooked onions. A slight handful of dried basil and parsley added in the beginning after adding the canned tomatoes...Let simmer for about 2 hours. Add water as it thickens.
In the meantime, I made and baked meatballs. I don't mix meats for meatballs, use just beef.
I have been known to add other meats to the sauce like trimmed pork chops(lightly browned before) or chicken, also lightly cooked.
Yesterday I added Bianco hot Italian sausage. I skin the sausage and cook it in my cast iron skillet for a few minutes then add to the sauce.
A low simmer for any sauce, with or without extra meats makes a better result. I add water as it cooks to thin it out. Stirring frequently as it simmers prevents scorching.

It came out great. Sent some to a family member this AM and will be my dinner tonite.

BTW lease check out this page. a great source of Italian food recipes. He also has a Facebook page. The .com page is a large compilation of recipes. The FB page comes daily.

https://www.sipandfeast.com/

[PXR-5]

5. Macaroni and gravy!

And I don't mean elbows

[usonian]

6. From Mom's Selectric Typewriter (thanks Mom!)

Mom was second-generation Italian, Boston area, recipe from the area around Naples.
This is super simple. È quanto saporite.

Basic Meat Gravy

• 1 large can of Italian tomatoes or Puree and
• 2 small cans of tomato paste or 1 large can of tomato paste
• Small amount of chopped or sliced onion
• Oil

Heat oil in a large pan with onion; add meat such as braciole, 1 lb. of Italian sausages, or 1/2 lb.

Cook for a little while to sear the meat. Then add the tomatoes or tomato puree and tomato paste. Add salt and pepper to taste with some fresh basil. Cook for about an hour with the meat in it. You can use sausages, braciole, or BOTH. If you are going to add meatballs, put them in (recipe elsewhere) about this time, and cook for about one half hour, If you do not use meatballs, it is OK. If the sauce gets too thick, add some water.

This amount makes enough for at least three meals for 2 people at a time.

Total amount of cooking time is about 2 hours.

Start on high heat, and then simmer at lowest heat.

[Runningdawg]

7. Yes! I learned from Anthony Bourdain. Recipe at link.

https://hardcoreitalians.blog/2020/10/17/anthony-bourdain-makes-sunday-gravy-video/

[Auggie]

8. I have a tip I find that enhances most any recipe ...

make sure there's enough acidity in the sauce. This can come from red wine, red wine vinegar, lemon juice, or (best option) a combination of all three. Just don't overdo it. A little goes a long way.

[elleng]

9. THANKS, all; this is a fun thread!

[dem in texas]

10. here's my recipe - stood the test of time

I am a Texas gal, more experience in making chili and enchiladas, but this is a family favorite.

Here goes:
3 tbsp olive oil
1 to 1/4 pounds lean ground beef
1 cooking onion, chopped
2 or 3 stalks celery, chopped small
1/2 pound fresh white mushrooms, small chop
red bell pepper, white membrane removed, small chop
4 0r 5 cloves garlic, chopped fine.
fresh basil chopped, no stems or use dry basil all to taste
dry oregano 1 - 11/2 tsp
1/2 to 1 tsp chili powder

Heat oil and add above ingredients. Brown and cook until meat is cooked and no longer red and vegetables are limp.

Add 2 cans petite diced tomatoes, 1 can tomato paste, 1 chicken bullion cube, water to cover, mix well and simmer for 2 to 3 hours, adding more water as needed. Near end of coking, let it thicken a bit

When serving with your spaghetti with the meat sauce, have fresh parmesan and dry parmesan/Romano cheese.

If I want meatballs, I leave the meat out of the sauce. I use my meat ball recipe for Swedish meat balls, but add some dry parmesan cheese to mixture and bake the meat balls in the oven and add to the spaghetti sauce when sauce is almost done,

Here's another tip, I usually have enough spaghetti sauce for another meal, i make sure i cook extra pasta. i cut the cooked pasta into shorter pieces and place in a disposable aluminum baking pan, like sold at the supermarket, Spray with Pam, put left over pasta in pan, spoon the leftover spaghetti sauce over the pasta, sprinkle cheeses on top, cover tight with aluminum foil and put in the freezer, Next time the old boy or the Grands want some spaghetti, you have it ready to go: just put in the oven 350 to 375 depending on size of pan.