Recipe #46 - Italian Meat Gravy

This is a recipe given to my father from one of the Knights in the Knights of Columbus council who was on an award winning team competed at the Annual Italian Festival in Memphis. Dad used it as the basis for making large quantities of spaghetti for Knights' fundraisers. (He always said that there were 2 things the Knights always did well, making spaghetti & setting up and taking down tables and chairs.)

The recipe was originally called "Nina's Meat Gravy" (Apparently Italian cooking purists have an aversion to the term "spaghetti sauce.") And I have left it above in it's original form with the notes at the bottom that Dad got from his Brother Knight.

As is his nature Dad could never leave well enough alone and has always tinkered with this recipe. One thing he loves to do is add Italian sausage from Vanellis Deli in Germantown. Whether he doubles it or not, he adds it. Sometime it just makes a meatier gravy.

Start by getting the freshest Roma tomatoes you can find. Blanch them for a little over a minute or until skin cracks. Let cool.

Then get your mother to peel them for you. It's like mud pies for her. She is such a tomboy which is one the reasons dad said he was so attracted to her. Not only does she peel the skin off the blanched tomatoes she then takes the skin and squeezes off the meat of the tomato left on the the skin. I think that will be the best part of the sauce. Thanks mom :)

Place blanched tomatoes in a blender and run till smooth. Add tomato sauce, tomato paste and diced tomatoes in a large pan. Fold in the oregano, basil, bay leaves, parsley, and garlic. Stir well. Turn heat on to medium-low.

In a large skillet heat 1 tablespoon olive oil, add ground beef, Italian sausage, celery and onions. Cook until meat is browned. Add 1 1/2 teaspoon salt & 1 1/2 teaspoon pepper. Pour finished meat mixture in to the tomato mixture.

Lastly, add the wine and stir well. But I didn't add just any wine. I add one of our home brewed merlots from Peru. Bring to boil, reduce heat and let simmer for up to 2 hours.

Your "Meat Gravy" should look a little like this. AKA a-mazing.

Serve over a bed of noodles and a slice or two of garlic bread.

Rating: 10
Time: 2 hours
Ingredients:
1 pound ground beef
2 pounds Italian sausage from Vanellis Deli
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 onion, chopped
1 clove garlic, finely chopped
1 23 ounce diced tomatoes
16 ounces tomato sauce (made from the fresh tomatoes)
6 ounce tomato paste
28 ounce water (thicken with tomato juice)
1 tablespoon parsley
3/4 tablespoon basil
1 tablespoon oregano
4-8 bay leaves
1 cup of Merlot or Cabernet Savignon