Sunday Gravy

Prep Time	
 Cook Time	
 Passive Time	

Servings 10 - 12

INSTRUCTIONS

This tomato sauce with meat -- which is as close as I've found to the fondly remembered sauce of Italian family dinners past -- is called gravy because the meat drippings become the base for the sauce. It is meant to feed the whole family abundantly. You may cook up to 3 pounds of pasta and have enough sauce and meat to make everybody happy -- and believe me, they will be happy. It refrigerates and freezes well. You may use any or all of the meats listed.

Pork added to the gravy will make a delicious but somewhat oily sauce, so be sure to skim excess oil off if you use a lot of pork. Also, pork tends to produce a thin sauce, so go easy when adding additional water. That said, I don't think Sunday Gravy is right without some spareribs or pork chops in the sauce!

Fry the meats of your choice in 1/4 cup oil in a large heavy saucepan or Dutch oven. When they are browned, transfer them to a platter. Add remaining 1/4 cup oil to residual juices in pan. When oil is hot, saute onion, garlic and seasonings until transparent.

Stir in tomato paste and blend well. Add tomatoes (through a food mill, if you want a smooth sauce) and stir until blended with the tomato paste and oil. Stir in extra pinch of seasonings. Add water, using the 28-ounce can from the tomatoes. (Keep adding water until sauce remains the thickness you desire. I use a full can.)

Let sauce come to a full boil and add salt and pepper to taste and an additional pinch of herbs. Return meat to pan. Then simmer over medium heat, uncovered, for at least 1 hour or until all the meat is fully cooked. Stir gently every 15 minutes or so, using a large wooden spoon.

Serve the sauce over pasta, reserving some additional sauce for individual servings at the table.