Sunday Gravy (Spaghetti & Meatballs)

INGREDIENTS
1 small 6-ounce of Tomato Paste
1 28-ounce can of Tomatoes (save can to fill with cold water)
Oregano
3-5 Fresh Basil Leaves
Salt & Pepper
Served over Spaghetti or other pasta of your choice

About The Sunday Gravy:  This, believe it or not, is actually an authentic SiciIian dish.  And I am almost sure everyone is familiar with the most common Sicilian/Italian tradition of Sunday Gravy.  While most call it sauce, to us it was always called gravy, and it was red, never the brown stuff you put on turkey.  Anyway, around 3 pm my father would put on either Sinatra or something along those lines and we would sit down to Sunday Dinner.  And even though I was born here in the United States, there was still wine on the table at every meal.  More clearly, the straw bottle of Chianti or even that re-used bottle filled with a freind or neighbor's home made red wine, which many cannot appreciate the taste of.  It is strong, and it has a very home made taste to it, but if it was done right, one sip can take you back 20-30 years or more to where you were sitting the last time you had a glass.  Sometimes that place was a tiny basement in Newark, or the terrace of my cousin in Sicily.  But anywhere, anytime, it takes you back and reminds you of your heritage. The sauce, always made fresh on Sunday, was also saved (because there is plenty left over for a family of 4) and re-served with fresh pasta on Tuesday and Thursdays .  The myth that Wednesday was spaghetti day was due to a Prince Spaghetti commercial, not true tradition.   Whatever the tradition, I feel lucky to have it at least once a week, and if you follow this recipe twice, so will you.  Please note, this does take a couple of hours, so its not for the impatient, and you need to stir it often, so if you are the active type, be sure you will be in one place for at least 2 hours and/or pick a rainy sunday to do it where you know you be close to the kitchen.  The only variation of this recipe I have seen is in movies like the Godfather where they add sugar.  If you do this right, it will be sweet enough without the sugar, the sugar also makes it taste (in my opinion) like it came from a jar or cheap restaurant.  

Additionally, the meat that is used can also be chunks of beef or sausage, but remember, its ok to experiment, but the different meats you use will give your gravy a distinct taste.  My mother grew up during the depression, so meat was expensive and they could not afford it.  Chop meat was cheaper and that is why they used that for the meatballs.  You can also serve this with garlic bread and/or a salad.  Salads were generally served after the pasta and consisted of oil and red vinegar, some oregano and salt & pepper.    

The Recipe:  Please please please always use the freshest ingredients available.  It will make all the difference in the world, and having made this recipe in a rural area of Texas and South Lake Tahoe, I would guess these ingredients are available practially everywhere in the United States, and always in Sicily or Italy!

Gravy: After the meatballs are made, its time to start the gravy.  In a large pot add the can of tomatoes and tomato paste along with the can of cold water.  Allow to come to a slow boil over medium or medium low heat, stir often to break up the paste and stir the mixture. Once it comes to a slow boil, reduce the heat to low and add the meatballs.  Add the oregano and basil and continue to stir every time it starts to bubble or boil. Continue to stir like this every few minutes for an couple of hours until the gravy reduces or thickens.

When the gravy is done, remove the meatballs and put in a separate serving dish.  Boil the spaghetti or other pasta (penne is also good) and be sure to use a full pot of boiling water, adding salt to the water to make it boil is optional, as is adding a few drops of olive oil.  Water takes at least 20 minutes to come to a rolling boil, but the pasta will cook in 10 minutes or less (some cases 15, depending on the brand of pasta, fresh pasta cooks in less than 5 minutes generally).  Drain the pasta well, add just a tiny bit of sauce to the drained pasta to keep it from sticking, and leave out a bowl of extra sauce for those who like more or a lot of sauce.  

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