Vita Grecos Gravy Recipes

ITALIAN GRAVY

Steps:

• Cover the bottom of a 10 quart pot with olive oil and set over medium heat. Add short ribs, oxtails, country style spare ribs and beef neck bone and brown them with 1/2 teaspoon salt, 1/4 teaspoon pepper, 1 teaspoon granulated onion, and 1 teaspoon garlic powder. Cook until both sides of meat are browned. Remove meat to a bowl and set aside. In the same pan add the sausage and ground beef. When ground meats are cooked through, drain grease and oil from pan. If there are any large pieces of the ground meats, break them up or pulse in a food processor. Add to bowl with other meats, set aside. Pour 1/4 cup olive oil into pot and saute onions, Italian parsley, garlic, shallots, jalapeno peppers, and pesto. Add 1/4 teaspoon salt, 1/8 teaspoon pepper, 1/2 teaspoon granulated garlic and 1/2 teaspoon granulated onion. When onions are limp, add all of the reserved meats. Over medium heat, add 2 cups red wine. While this mixture is cooking, in a separate saute pan, add 1/4 cup olive oil and over medium heat saute mushrooms. Raise heat to medium high and add 1/4 teaspoon salt, 1/2 granulated garlic, 1/2 teaspoon sugar. When mushrooms are browned add them to meats along with the tomato puree, tomato sauce and stock. In a food processor pulse stewed tomatoes with tomato paste until smooth and add them to the pot. Add allspice, Italian seasoning, 2 tablespoons sugar, 1 tablespoon salt, 1 teaspoon granulated garlic, 1 teaspoon granulated onion. The gravy must cover the meat and come close to the top of the pot. Reduce heat to the lowest simmer and cook uncovered for approximately 4 to 5 hours. Stir occasionally to keep from sticking to the bottom of the pan. When meat on oxtail is tender, take all of the whole meats out of the pot, leaving the ground meats in. To complete gravy, add 1 tablespoon granulated garlic, fresh basil and cream sherry. Serve the meat with gravy and pasta. Remove the rest of the gravy from the heat and let cool for 2 hours at room temperature then divide into pint containers and freeze.

VINNY'S GRAVY

Steps:

• To make the meatballs: Put the bread in a bowl and drench with milk. Let soak for a few minutes, and squeeze the bread out like a sponge.
• In bowl, mix together the beef, pork, and veal until well combined.
• In another bowl, whisk together the Parmesan, breadcrumbs, parsley, salt, pepper, eggs, and garlic.
• Add the cheese mixture and soaked bread to the meat and mix well. Form into meatballs.
• Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. A little olive oil and fry the meatballs in batches until well-browned and "hard", as Vinny says.
• Vinny says, "Eat a few."
• To make the sauce: Heat a pot over medium heat and add enough oil to cover the bottom. Add the garlic and onion and cook, stirring, until lightly browned. Add the tomato paste. Fill the tomato paste can with wine and pour into the pot. Add the tomatoes, and fill the can with water¿add the water. Add the parsley and salt and pepper. Stir well and bring to a boil. Lower the heat to a simmer and simmer, stirring occasionally, until slightly thick and fragrant, about 1 hour and 15 minutes.
• To make the sausage: Wipe out the skillet you fried the meatball in, and heat over medium-high heat. Add a little olive oil and brown the sausages in batches.
• Add the meatballs and sausages to the sauce and simmer, stirring occasionally, for 25 minutes.
• When ready to serve, cook the spaghetti according to the package instructions. Drain.
• Transfer the spaghetti to a large bowl and add a few spoonfuls of the sauce (without the meatballs and sausages). Mix to coat the spaghetti¿it should be only lightly coated with the sauce, adjust with more accordingly.
• Transfer the sauce to a platter and serve alongside the spaghetti at the table.

MANICOTTI

Steps:

• To make crepes: Mix ingredients together and stir until smooth. Drop by spoonfuls or 1/4 cup of mixture onto a hot, lightly greased nonstick 6-inch pan. Crepes should form and become dry almost instantly as you swirl the pan and its contents. Turn crepe over to cook other side quickly. Remove cooked crepe to waxed paper to cool. They can be stacked with waxed paper between each and then placed in the freezer until you're ready to fill them. This makes about 9 crepes that can be filled with more than just ricotta. Use for cannelloni, blintzes, etc.
• To make ricotta filling: Whip all of the ricotta filling ingredients together. Place a spoonful of filling in the center of each crepe, then roll up, and tuck in the ends. Spread a little sauce on the bottom of a baking pan to evenly coat the pan. Then, arrange manicotti in pan loosely and cover with sauce. Bake at 425 degrees F, when the sauce bubbles, serve.
• Prepare the meats: In a large skillet, brown all the meats in the olive oil. There is no need to cook the meats all the way through. Remember to pierce the sausage before cooking to allow fats and water to be released. Set meats aside.
• Prepare meatballs: Combine all ingredients except the olive oil in a large bowl. Form the meatballs with your hands (there should be about 12). Fry in the olive oil over medium heat until browned, but not cooked all the way through. Set aside.
• For the gravy: Saute garlic in the olive oil in the same skillet used to saute the meats. Add tomato paste and cook for a few minutes. In a large saucepot, combine the remaining ingredients except the meats and the tomato paste-garlic mixture and simmer. When the mixture begins to bubble, add all the meats and the meatballs. Stir about every 15 minutes, being sure to scrape the bottom of the pot to prevent burning and sticking. If the gravy seems too thick, add a little water at a time. Simmer for about 3 hours, keeping the lid of the pot slightly askew to prevent condensation of the gravy.

EGGPLANT PARMIGIANA

Steps:

• Prepare the eggplant: Beat together the eggs, cheese, parsley, pepper, and garlic powder. Some people put the peeled, sliced eggplant in a colander with a heavy object on top, so it can drain somewhat. It's been known to be less tart, then. I don't do this any longer, because I found little or no difference in tartness.
• Dip the sliced eggplant pieces into the egg mixture and then into the bread crumbs, so that they're nicely coated. Fry each piece in olive oil until very brown on both sides. This is important. If the eggplants are not thinly cut or if they're not browned enough, the taste of the entire dish is not right. Both hands have to be working to get a good system going for this, and I use a medium to high flame. At certain intervals, I stop and dump the oil, wash the pan, and begin with a clean pan. This makes a big difference.
• As the eggplant pieces are done, you can drain them on a paper towel and then place them in a baking pan. When you have enough for one layer, coat the layer generously with tomato sauce. (Reserve meats to eat seperately.) On top of that, sprinkle grated mozzarella generously. Keep repeating layers. Make sure the sides of your pan get some sauce, too. Now, I freeze this before baking. When I defrost it, I bake it as usual, and it's great. But if you want to eat it now, bake it in a preheated 350 degree F until the cheese melts and the sauce is bubbly
• Prepare the meats: In a large skillet, brown all the meats in the olive oil. There is no need to cook the meats all the way through. Remember to pierce the sausage before cooking to allow fats and water to be released. Set meats aside.
• Prepare meatballs: Combine all ingredients except the olive oil in a large bowl. Form the meatballs with your hands (there should be about 12). Fry in the olive oil over medium heat until browned, but not cooked all the way through. Set aside.
• For the gravy: Saute garlic in the olive oil in the same skillet used to saute the meats. Add tomato paste and cook for a few minutes. In a large saucepot, combine the remaining ingredients except the meats and the tomato paste-garlic mixture and simmer. When the mixture begins to bubble, add all the meats and the meatballs. Stir about every 15 minutes, being sure to scrape the bottom of the pot to prevent burning and sticking. If the gravy seems too thick, add a little water at a time. Simmer for about 3 hours, keeping the lid of the pot slightly askew to prevent condensation of the gravy.