Just like most Americans I love, love, love Italian food. In a lot of Italian-American homes, especially on the east coast, it is fairly traditional to have a type of Marinara sauce called Sunday Gravy or just Gravy. Usually served on Sundays with pasta, this is a rich long simmering red sauce that is almost indescribable(?) in it's complexity of flavor. Complex in flavor, yes...but simple in execution. Here is my version.
4 beef shank steaks, with bone & bone marrow
1 pkg of six sweet Italian sausages
12 home made Italian style meatballs, browned (recipe to come soon)
1 4oz can of tomato paste
4 large cans (13 oz, maybe) tomato sauce or whole tomatoes
4 cups beef broth
Salt & pepper to taste
2 TBS dried oregano
1 TBS dried basil
2 tsp dried fennel, optional
1/4 tsp dried red pepper flakes, or more to taste
Place everything in a very large pot and simmer on low for at least 3 hours. Stir occasionally to prevent sticking or burning. If level gets too low, add some water or more broth. Go easy on adding salt to sauce; as the sauce simmers and intesifies in flavor the salt from the canned goods become more noticeable.
This makes approximately 4-6 quarts of gravy. Leftovers freeze well for later.
Bon Appettit!
That'sa speecy spicy sauce!
ReplyDeleteActually, not far off from my dad's recipe. We'd have added onions and garlic, but that's just how we roll.