GRANDMA CAPOZZOLI'S TOMATO GRAVY

 

Almost no recipe is used as much in my kitchen. It is a Capozzoli staple. A lot of Italian Americans (Im only part Italian American) call rich deep bone stock type tomato sauce 'gravy' not 'sauce'. This has much to do with the bones meat and sausage that is used to make it. Tomato 'sauce' is either vegetarian or a marinara sauce made with fish or some other seafood. We will go into those tomato sauces in the pages to come.

INGREDIENTS: For 6-8 servings with some left overs depending on appetites and dish being served. 

• 1- 28oz can of tomato puree
• 1-28oz can of crushed tomato
• 1-12oz can of tomato paste
• 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
• 1lb or more bones pork, beef, lamb or any combination.
• 1 head of garlic minced
• 1 stalk of celery chopped fine
• 4 tablespoons of dried oregano
• 4 tablespoons of dried basil
• 1 teaspoon of celery seed
• 2 large bay leaf
• 1 teaspoon dried rosemary
• 1 tablespoon of nutmeg (optional)
• 1/2 teaspoon red pepper seed 
• 1 teaspoon sugar
• 1/4 cup red wine
• 1/4 cup grated locatelli or Pecorino Romano cheese
• Kosher salt and crushed black pepper to taste
• Rope of Italian sausage and or meat balls (Optional) 
• little bit of vegetable oil
• water to fill cans

PROCEDURE: Put a large enough heavy stock pot on a medium high burner. Let it get hot.Then add a little vegetable oil. Put the bones in then the chopped garlic, celery and all of the dried herbs and spices stir constantly and don't let the garlic get too dark. Remove it from the burner if it gets to hot. Once the garlic is golden light brown add the wine and cook of some of the alcohol off. Now add the cans of tomato puree, crushed tomato and the paste and stir.

 Fill each of those cans with water once and add it to the sauce. Stir until blended. Now add the olive oil and grated cheese. Stir once again and bring to a low boil. Then turn to low and cover with a lid. Let this simmer for two hours.

If using meat balls and or sausage. Roast them in the oven at 400 degrees. Ideally browned on the outside but still a little under done on the inside. Don't put them in the simmering sauce until the last half hour of the cook. Otherwise they will overcook.

Remove the bones before serving or ladle around them.

Mama Mia, that's a spicy a meatball! Meatball recipe to come......