Nana Vianos Sunday Gravy Recipes

NANA VIANO'S SUNDAY GRAVY

Steps:

• Add 2 T. of olive oil to a deep skillet or Dutch oven to brown meat with fresh garlic and minced onion.
• When the meat is brown, add dry ingredients to meat and cook for 3 minutes on medium low heat. All of the dry ingredients are subject to your discretion. My Nana never measured anything. If I were guessing, I would say she used at least 1T of Italian seasoning, but the salt, pepper, crushed red pepper, and sugar were mostly to taste.
• Add tomato paste to meat and cook for 2 minutes to get the seasonings melded with the tomato paste.
• Add tomatoes to meat mixture and stir, let this simmer over a low heat for 2.5 hours. Stir occasionally. Serve over pasta of your choice with grated parmesan cheese.

SOPRANO'S SUNDAY GRAVY (SPAGHETTI SAUCE)

Steps:

• To make the sauce, heat the oil in a large heavy pot over medium heat.
• Pat the pork dry and put the pieces in the pot.
• Cook turning occasionally, for about 15 minutes or until nicely browned on all sides.
• Transfer pork to a plate.
• Brown the veal in the same way and add it to the plate.
• Place the sausages in the pot and brown on all sides.
• Set the sausages aside with the pork.
• Drain off most of the fat from the pot.
• Add the garlic and cook for about 2 minutes or until golden.
• Remove and discard the garlic.
• Stir in the tomato paste and cook for 1 minute.
• With a food mill (I use a Braun hand blender) puree the tomatoes, with their juice into the pot.
• Or for a chunkier sauce, just chop up the tomatoes and add them.
• Add the water; and salt and pepper to taste.
• Add the pork, veal, sausages, and basil and bring the sauce to a simmer.
• Partially cover the pot and cook over low heat, stirring occasionally, for 2 hours.
• If the sauce becomes too thick, add a little more water.
• Meanwhile, make the meatballs: Combine all the ingredients except the oil in a large bowl.
• Mix together thoroughly.
• Rinse your hands with cool water and lightly shape the mixture into 2 inch balls.
• Heat the oil in a large heavy skillet.
• Add the meatballs and brown them well on all sides.
• They will finish cooking in the sauce.
• Transfer the meatballs to a plate.
• After the sauce has cooked for its two hours, add the meatballs and cook for 30 minutes or until the sauce is thick and the meats are very tender.
• To serve, remove the meats from the sauce and set aside.
• Toss the cooked pasta with the sauce.
• Sprinkle with cheese.
• Serve the meats as a second course, or reserve them for another day.