North End Sunday Gravy
Description
This North End Sunday gravy recipe is a long-simmered homemade Italian "gravy" with meatballs. Basil, mint, and pepper flakes lend a savory herbal note.
Ingredients
•
1/4 cup olive oil
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2 pork neck bones
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1 country-style pork rib
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1 (8 ounce) beef chuck in 1 piece
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1 beef rib, or more to taste
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1 lamb shank
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1 pinch dried basil, or to taste
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1 pinch dried mint, or to taste
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1 pinch red pepper flakes, or to taste
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1 onion, chopped
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1 clove garlic, minced
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1 (12 ounce) can tomato paste
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7 cups water, or as needed
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2 (28 ounce) cans crushed tomatoes
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salt and ground black pepper to taste
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2 tablespoons olive oil
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1 pound bulk Italian sausage
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1/2 tablespoon white sugar, or to taste
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1 pound ground beef
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1 cup Italian bread crumbs
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1/4 pound ground pork
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1/2 cup milk
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1/2 cup chopped Italian flat leaf parsley
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2 eggs
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1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
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1 1/2 teaspoons olive oil
Directions
1
Heat 1/4 cup olive oil in a stockpot over medium heat; add neck bones, pork rib, beef chuck, beef rib, and lamb shank. Cook, flipping often, until browned on all sides, 7 to 10 minutes; transfer to a large bowl.
2
Add 1/4 cup olive oil to the same stockpot over medium heat; add 1 pinch each basil, mint, and red pepper flakes. Add onion; cook and stir until translucent, about 5 minutes. Add 1 clove minced garlic; cook and stir 1 minute. Stir in tomato paste until incorporated. Add water and crushed tomatoes; bring to a low boil. Add remaining 2 pinches each basil, mint, and red pepper flakes; season with salt and black pepper.
3
Return browned meats to stockpot; bring to a simmer and cook 2 1/2 hours, stirring every 15 minutes. Remove and discard neck bones.
4
Heat 2 tablespoons olive oil in a skillet over medium heat; crumble in Italian sausage. Cook and stir until crumbly, evenly browned, and no longer pink, 5 to 7 minutes. Drain and discard any excess grease. Stir sausage and sugar into tomato sauce; heat to a simmer and cook 1 1/2 hours.
5
Combine ground beef, bread crumbs, ground pork, milk, parsley, eggs, Parmesan cheese, and remaining 1 clove minced garlic in a large bowl with your hands until evenly mixed; shape into 2-inch meatballs.
6
Heat 1 1/2 teaspoons oil in a skillet over medium heat. Add meatballs; cook until evenly browned, 5 to 7 minutes.
7
Add meatballs to tomato sauce; simmer for 1 hour, adding water as needed to keep sauce from becoming too thick. Let sit off heat 2 to 3 minutes. Skim and discard any fat from top of sauce.