Grandmom’s Gravy

If you talk to any Italian woman they will tell you that their family has a recipe for spaghetti sauce. Except when you are Italian you know it’s never, ever called sauce it’s always gravy. Sauce is something you buy on the shelf of your local grocery store, gravy is a labor of love. And every Italian woman will tell you that their gravy is the best. But ask them how to make it and they likely won’t be able to tell you exactly how to make it; because most of these recipes have been passed down over time, they were written on scraps of paper and adapted over and over again throughout the years. They likely don’t come with exact measurements, or a solid timeline of how to make it.

Some recipes just come from within. You just know how to make it or you don’t. That is the case with my grandmother’s gravy recipe. I’ve been making it for years. I don’t know where the original recipe ends and my own recipe begins, that’s the beauty of something that has been handed down for generations.

But a while ago a friend asked if I had a recipe for spaghetti sauce and if they could have it. And the truth was I had no clue what I put in my gravy, just that I made it till it tasted right. So last time I made gravy I wrote down what I did.

Grandmom’s Gravy

Ingredients:

3 cans SM Tom
1/2 Tsp oregano
Pinch thyme
2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp basil
1 tsp sugar

1. In a large pot put 3 cans of San Marzano Tomatoes. Simmer over medium heat.
2. After 30 minute add Oregano, Thyme, Basil, and salt.
3. Let simmer at least 3 -5 hours, stirring occasionally and tasting as you go. (I usually keep a spoon nearby for stirring and another for tasting).
4. After about 3 hours add 1 tsp sugar, stir. Continue to simmer.
5. After 30 minutes if it is still too acidic add another teaspoon of sugar. The longer you simmer the gravy the less bitter it will be, I like to start my gravy in the morning and let it cook all day.

**At this point your gravy is done but, if you want to make meat to go with it or in my opinon a better gravy do steps 6 -10.

6. Make meatballs.
7. Brown meatballs and hot Italian sausage in a pan with about 2 tablespoons EVOO.
8. As meat browns add to the pot of gravy, allow meat to finish cooking in gravy.
9. Once all meat is browned add a small amount of water to the pan. (This is key!!!) Using your spatula scrape all the bits of meat from the pan and add these to the pot.
10. Simmer an additional 30 minutes.
Serve with your favorite pasta.

You can modify the recipe however you like but to me the secrets to a great gravy is all about simmering it low and slow (but not in a slow cooker) and adding the meat droppings to the gravy. Both of these will completely enhance the flavor and you will never want to buy jarred sauce (cause when it come in a jar it’s sauce) again.

While any good red wine would go great with this Italian dish, I’m going to suggest you try this Pinotage from South Africa, it’s different and delicious.

Check back next week for my meatball recipe. It’s one of the few things that my Mother-In-Law has every complimented me on, and that says a lot.