Homemade Italian Red Gravy Food

CONFORTI FAMILY RED GRAVY (SPAGHETTI SAUCE)

Steps:

• 1. This is a double batch. The single batch always gives me enough sauce for 2 dinners, so I double it and freeze the extra.
• 2. Use a large stock pot. (I've used a 6 qt. crock pot and without the meat added, it filled it right to the top!)
• 3. If adding meat, fry the sausage or meatballs until nice & browned. De-glaze the pan with a little wine to get all those browned bits. If NOT adding the meat, just add a little wine to the sauce.
• 4. Add all the ingredients into the pot with the seasonings being added as below.
• 5. ** For the seasonings, My husband's grandmother taught him to add the seasonings in this order as a boy. I thought it was cute. - First you see the grass grow (this is the oregano, basil, parsley); - then the snow falls on the grass (parmesan cheese); - then you see some frost on the snow (this is the sugar) Then, of course, you mix it all in. :)
• 6. Cook at a low boil for 8-10 hours. I replace the pot lid with a flat slotted pan (like a pizza pan) to allow moisture to escape. The sauce needs to cook down a bit and thicken.
• 7. ** Note: You can cook this recipe all day on LOW in a 6-quart or larger crock pot.

HOMEMADE ITALIAN RED SAUCE

Steps:

• Heat olive oil in a large saucepan over medium-high heat. Saute onion and garlic in hot oil until onion is translucent, 5 to 7 minutes.
• Reduce heat to medium-low. Add water, crushed tomatoes, tomato paste, basil, baking soda, and sugar; season with salt and pepper. Stir mixture, bring to a simmer, and cook until the sauce is thickened, about 2 hours.

ITALIAN TOMATO GRAVY

Steps:

• Heat olive oil in a large saucepan over low heat. Saute the garlic, red pepper flakes, and herbs for 2 minutes until the herbs are fragrant and garlic is golden (but not overly brown.) Raise the heat to medium, add onion and carrot; cook for 5 minutes until they breakdown and are soft. Deglaze with red wine and reduce to evaporate the alcohol. Hand crush the canned tomatoes and add to the pot, along with its liquid. Add a pinch of sugar to cut down on the acidity from the tomatoes; season with salt and pepper. Let simmer for 30 minutes, uncovered.

ITALIAN RED SAUCE AKA RED GRAVY OR SPAGHETTI SAUCE

Steps:

• Place olive oil in a large soup pot.
• Add garlic and simmer about one minute, do not let it brown.
• Put tomatoes in blender and blend briefly to smooth out the tomatoes.
• Then add to garlic.
• Cut Italian ham in chunks.
• When I order this from the Deli, I have them cut it in 1/2 lb slab.
• Add basil and crushed red pepper flakes.
• Let simmer about 6 hours.
• I always check the richness of the sauce by putting a spoonful in a clean bowl, let it sit for about 5 minutes and if water is seperating from the sauce, continue to simmer.

ITALIAN SUNDAY GRAVY

Steps:

• Heat oil in very large Dutch oven.
• Add garlic and onions and saute until soft.
• Add tomato paste and stir to combine.
• Add crushed tomatoes and spices.
• Stir bring to boil, lower heat to low--cover and simmer.
• Meanwhile combine all meatball ingredients (except for flour and oil).
• Form into balls about 2-1/2 inches in diameter.
• Dredge meatballs in flour.
• Fry meatballs in oil in skillet a few at a time until browned on all sides (not necessary to cook through they will cook in the sauce) Add fried meatballs from skillet directly to simmering sauce.
• Stir and bring sauce back to a simmer.
• Cover.
• Place sausage in pot and cover with water.
• Bring to a boil and boil about 5 minutes to remove some of the fat.
• Brown boiled sausage in skillet.
• Place browned sausage in simmering sauce.
• Bring sauce back to simmer---cover and continue simmering for 2 hours over low heat---stir occassioanlly.
• Remove meatballs and sausage from pot and place on serving dish.
• Toss sauce with cooked pasta--You will have enough sauce to coat two pounds of cooked pasta.
• This freezes very well!

ITALIAN SUNDAY GRAVY

Steps:

• 1. Dice the onion and 5 cloves of garlic. Chop your basil and set aside.
• 2. Put your ground beef/pork/veal in a big bowl. Add salt, pepper, a little bit of oregano, 1/2 cup of cheese, and egg.
• 3. Put you slices of bread in a cereal bowl can cover with milk.
• 4. In a large frying pan saute 1/2 of your onions, 1/2 your garlic and 1/2 your basil in 2 tablespoons of evoo. Slow and low here, do not burn your garlic. Saute until onions are translucent approximately 15 mins. When done add to your bowl of meat. Set aside pan to cook meats in a bit.
• 5. Squeeze out half your milk from the bread and add to meat. With your hands mix your meat mixture together for about 5 mins. Get it good and mixed up. Set aside.
• 6. Time to start the sauce. In a BIG sauce pan add another 2 tablespoons of evoo, saute the rest of your onion, garlic, basil slow and low. When onions are translucent add 3 cans tomato sauce and 1 1/2 cans water (don't worry water will cook out over the next few hours. It will not water down your sauce.) Add your oregano leaf and sugar stir and simmer sauce on med low heat.
• 7. Time to brown your meatballs. In your frying pan add about one inch of oil. Roll your meatballs out by hand med to large size. Brown meatballs on both sides. Do not have to cook them all the way through. They will finish cooking in your sauce and add flavor to the sauce by not cooking through. You will have to do this in batches most likely. Once finished browning add to the sauce.
• 8. In same pan you cooked the meatballs brown your chops. Add them to your sauce. Now brown your sausage links in same pan. Cut browned sausage links into pieces and add to sauce.
• 9. Time to deglaze your pan all the meats were cooked in. Drain excess oil from the pan. Put the empty oily pan on med heat. Pour wine in pan once hot. The pan will smoke at first. This is okay. Simmer for a couple of mins until the alcohol has cooked off. Now pour this into your sauce.
• 10. Let your sauce simmer on low heat for the next 3 hours. During this time you will have fats rise to the top. You can skim most of the fat off if you choose. I stir it all back in for this is where a lot of your flavor comes from.
• 11. Sauce close to done. Time to cook pasta. Cook your pasta al dente for about 11-12 mins. Drain then toss with some of your cheese to the sauce will adhere to the pasta better. Remove pork chop bones ( you will prob have to look for these because the fell of the chop)
• 12. Place pasta on a big serving platter or bowl. Spoon sauce over pasta. Top with parsley and additional cheese. Put extra sauce in a separate bowl and place on the table for quest to add extra if they choose.
• 13. Serve with a loaf of bread and butter and enjoy.

EMERIL'S MEAT BALLS AND RED GRAVY

Steps:

• Place the bread in a shallow baking dish. Pour the milk over the bread and let sit for a couple of minutes. In mixing bowl, combine all of the meats together. Season with salt and pepper. Add the minced onions, 1 tablespoon garlic, parsley and bread. Mix well. Season with salt and pepper. Form the mixture into small balls. In a large skillet, heat 2 tablespoons of the oil. When the oil is hot add the meatballs and brown for 4 to 6 minutes. Remove from the pan and drain on paper towels. In a large saucepan, heat the remaining oil. Add the onions. Season with salt and pepper. Cook for 4 to5 minutes or until the onions are soft and clear in color. Add the remaining garlic and tomatoes. Season with salt and pepper. Cook for 30 minutes. Whisk the tomato paste and water together. Add to the tomatoes. Add the meatballs. Bring the liquid to a boil, over high heat. Turn the heat down to medium-low and simmer for 4 hours, stirring occasionally. Reseason with salt and pepper. Bring a pot of salted water to a boil. Add the pasta and cook until tender, about 8 minutes. Remove from the heat and drain. Drizzle the pasta with olive oil. Season the pasta with salt and pepper. Using a box grater, grate the cheese. To serve, mound the pasta in the center of each bowl. Spoon the meat balls and sauce over the pasta. Garnish with the grated cheese.

SWEET ITALIAN SAUSAGE WITH RED GRAVY AND PASTA

Steps:

• Warm olive oil in a skillet over medium heat while dicing onion and celery. Sauté vegetables until onions turn clear. Remove from heat.
• In a large pot (6 qt or larger, I use an 8 qt stock pot) over medium-low heat, combine tomato juice, tomato paste, water, diced tomatoes, onion, celery, sugar, and seasonings.
• Heat gravy to a boil (shouldn't need to raise heat above medium) and add sausages; boil for about 30 minutes, stirring occasionally.
• Prepare pasta according to package directions and drain. Spoon a small amount of gravy over pasta (in its own pot) and stir gently to help prevent sticking.
• Serving size is roughly a cup of pasta, one sausage, and about 3/4 cup gravy.

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.

AUTHENTIC ITALIAN AMERICAN MARINARA SAUCE/ RED GRAVY

Steps:

• Rough chop onion and garlic.
• Heat up a large pan on medium heat.
• Pour in all of olive oil.
• Dump in onion and sauté until soft.
• Add garlic, bay leaf, oregano, salt and pepper.
• Stir all together into a mess and continue to cook, if it seems to hot, turn down the heat, you don't want to burn anything.
• Once everything is well mixed and cooked, turn up the heat for about 1 minute. I tell you to do this as you are about to add the balsamic vinegar to "deglaze" and you will want the pan hot.
• Add balsamic, stir quickly while hot steam rises. the vapors should make you eyes water, and nose run, so be careful to remain hygienic. when vapors stop remove from heat.
• Open all the cans of crushed tomato.
• Stir in one can at a time with wooden spoon or rubber spatula.
• Once all cans are in, stir well again so you don't see any oil on the top of sauce. return to heat. Cook on low heat uncovered, stirring whenever you walk into the kitchen for some other reason. You don't need to stir it every hour, but do it whenever you get around to it. although you do need to stir it from time to time.
• Cook for at least five hours. If you want to do this while you go to work, you can transfer everything to a crock pot, but you must start in a big metal pot. Your choice.
• Serve over your favorite pasta, or use to cook my meatball recipe, which is highly recommended ( look at the reviews). doing my meatballs is particularly easy if you have transferred gravy to a crock pot, but if you do you may need to remove some sauce to fit the balls in the sauce.
• Freeze left over sauce, just pour cooled sauce in zip-lock bags and throw in freezer.