Aunties Italian Gravey

[tabs]

When I was a little boy I wasa baby sat by an Italian lady whoa madea Italian gravy for Meatballs and pasta.

First she would chop up fine one big Onion, coarse cut 3/4 of a pound of Mushrooms, fine chop 2 big Carrots, 3 stalks of Celery place all in a Saute Pan with a liberal amount of Olive Oil and 4 cloves of crushed Garlic saute until cooked.

Place sauteed vegetables in a large stock pot..with 3 28 oz cans of Crushed Tomato's, 2 6 oz cans of Tomato Paste, 1 cup of Red Wine, 2.5 28 oz cans of water, meat, or vegetable Stock, salt to taste, 3 Tblspns of Parsley flakes, 3 Tblspns Basil flakes, 2 Tblspns Oregano, Tbsp of Rosemary , Tblspn of Thyme, Big teaspoon of Sugar, Tblspns Red Pepper Flakes. and a coupla Bay leaves. All herbs are to taste and are an approximation as I just pour em in until I think it is the right amount. Water or stock amount is by sight as well. Place on simmer.

Add in your choice of Italian sausage, chicken, sauteed chopped Eggplant, sauteed Ground Beef, Pork Ribs, or Italian Meatballs.Let simmer on low 3 or 4 hours till gravy thickens and coats a spoon.

To make a meata balls. 2 lbs ground Beef, 1 lb of ground Pork, 1 cup seasoned Breadcrumbs, 2 Eggs, 3/4 C Parmesan Cheese, big Tblspn, granulated Garlic and one of Parsley flakes, lightly salt. Mix all together and form into inch and one half balls place in large saute pan with a liberal amount of olive oil and brown. Place in Italian gravy and let simmer.

Serve gravy with choice of meat over pasta. Sprinkle with Parmesan and or Mozzarella Cheese.

[flatbutt]

there isa no "e" ina gravy.

[Captain Ahab Jr]

Tabs, sounds like that mean lady robbed you of your childhood

real Italian cooking is much tastier when fresh ingredients are used not tasteless mush out of a tin or a dried seasoning jar

[tabs]

Originally Posted by flatbutt

there isa no "e" ina gravy.

Sadly for me you bring nothing to the table but acrimony and grief. So when you die I will tell people what a miserable lout of a human being you were.

[Gogar]

How about you boyz stop being d*cks and let Tabs enjoy his Auntie's Gravey?

[tabs]

Originally Posted by Captain Ahab Jr

Tabs, sounds like that mean lady robbed you of your childhood

real Italian cooking is much tastier when fresh ingredients are used not tasteless mush out of a tin or a dried seasoning jar

It is all in the amount of how much extra process do you want to go through? Do u raise your own beef, pork or chicken? It is tasteless mush if you don't.

I have used fresh Tomato's before where you have to parboil them drop them into an ice bath to take the skin off before they hit the the stock pot and hand held blender. Is the taste that much better to warrant the extra effort? Then have you ever made your own Tomato Paste?

Maybe in the UK you don't have freshly dried herbs in the market or can only get Kraft Grated Parmesan in the can? So don't give me your wanker-isms.

[Captain Ahab Jr]

Originally Posted by tabs

Maybe in the UK you don't have freshly dried herbs in the market or can only get Kraft Grated Parmesan in the can?

Tabs relax, living in Italy for 7yrs has made me a picky Italian food eater, eating there after the UK set my flavour barometer to whole different level

In Italy even the big super markets only sell seasonal vegetables when they are in season not freshly freeze dried or shipped in from abroad.

You can't beat the taste of fresh, locally grown food.

[Yorkie]

Originally Posted by Captain Ahab Jr

Tabs relax, living in Italy for 7yrs has made me a picky Italian food eater, eating there after the UK set my flavour barometer to whole different level

In Italy even the big super markets only sell seasonal vegetables when they are in season not freshly freeze dried or shipped in from abroad.

You can't beat the taste of fresh, locally grown food.

Captain is right. Go eat in Italy then try the exact same recipe in the US (or the UK)and its just not the same. Discount the romantic element of being a foreigner eating in Italy but the stuff there just tastes better. But its no surprise when you drive by the feedlots of Bakersfield and see how our cows are raised then compare it with the rolling hills of Tuscany. If I was a cow I would taste better if I came from Italy.

[sand_man]

Thanks for the recipe, Tabs! Very similar to a sauce (gravy) that I make. I've been tweaking it over the years. Celery is one of the main differences.

[tabs]

Originally Posted by Captain Ahab Jr

Tabs relax, living in Italy for 7yrs has made me a picky Italian food eater, eating there after the UK set my flavour barometer to whole different level

In Italy even the big super markets only sell seasonal vegetables when they are in season not freshly freeze dried or shipped in from abroad.

You can't beat the taste of fresh, locally grown food.

Coming from the UK one can see why anything would taste better...even a MRE meal.

What I have given you is a good recipe which you can take out to the Nth degree if you so desire. Generally at some point you are splitting hairs of cost and or time to benefit received. I didn't say only use extra virgin olive oil, nor fresh homemade Italian sausage nor grind your own beef and pork... nor grow in the summer and dry your own herbs for the winter, nor only use homegrown and or home canned tomato's nor only use freshly grated Italian Parmesan and Romano, nor use a 92 Sterling Vineyards Cab now did I. But of course I could if I wanted...

[NY65912]

Sounds like a normal Sunday at my Moms and now in my house. When i go to visit relatives in Italy just about every meal is prepared with fresh and I mean just from the farm or Adriatic for sea food fresh ingredients. That's the advantage of living in a more rural/seaside town. But, even in the cities the food is at most 1 day from the farm old. Heck, the food prepared on the Autostrada (highways) are fresh made. The Autogrill has restaurant quality dishes served at rest stops.

[VINMAN]

Sauce, not "gravy"....


.

[Shaun @ Tru6]

Originally Posted by VINMAN

Sauce, not "gravy"....


.

THANK YOU! Man, I can't tell you how much "gravy" bugs me. I grew up with off-the-boat Italian great grandparents who had their own farm and every Sunday night it was a FEAST of everything freshly made, pasta made that day. Table was 20 feet long, everyone was there. They used to say I had a hollow leg I would eat so much.

It's sauce, NOT gravy!

[VINMAN]

I'm the black sheep of the family because I refuse to call it "gravy".


.

[Shaun @ Tru6]

Originally Posted by VINMAN

I'm the black sheep of the family because I refuse to call it "gravy".


.

I am sure there are other reasons too.

[vash]

i learned Sunday Gravy in college.

my friend, her name was Giovanna. she showed me.

very similar recipe. they all vary. i add some chopped anchovy to mine. and i NEVER simmer it on a stove top anymore. it goes in my dutch oven into a 300 degree oven. fire and forget.

[sand_man]

Originally Posted by vash

i add some chopped anchovy to mine....it goes in my dutch oven into a 300 degree oven. fire and forget.

Me too.

[tabs]

Originally Posted by vash

i learned Sunday Gravy in college.

my friend, her name was Giovanna. she showed me.

very similar recipe. they all vary. i add some chopped anchovy to mine. and i NEVER simmer it on a stove top anymore. it goes in my dutch oven into a 300 degree oven. fire and forget.

I use my all copper 8 qt All Clad stock pot. Being all copper you have fantastic heat retention so i dont have to use my Le Cruset Dutch oven. When I make fresh pasta it is with my Italian SIMAC 700 Pasta machine that I bought for $3 at a Thrift.


I at times will put in Bell Pepper or black olives and or Parmesan/Romano. All variations on a theme..

[NY65912]

It is sauce, but it was an Italian-American thing to call it gravy. The debate goes on.

[Bill Douglas]

Thanks for the recipe Tabs.

A lot of it has to do with the freshness of the ingredients. Even dry herbs need to be "fresh" dry herbs and spices. And of course, grass feed beef.