Meet Chef Dominic! My awesome, amazing husband of 53 years! :)
Chef Dominic's Italian Pasta Gravy
Ingredients:
1 small can tomato paste
2 cans crushed tomatoes
1 pound ground beef (You can use a mixture of beef and pork or a mixture of beef, pork and veal.
1 medium sweet onion, diced
4-5 cloves of garlic, minced
Oregano, parsley, black pepper, sugar and Basil to taste
Olive Oil
15-20 Meatballs. If you choose not to add ground meat in the beginning, you can add any of the following: 5-10 chicken thighs, or 8-10 links of Italian sausage, or small pork chunks, or 2-3 cans crab meat, or mussels, or shrimp, or oysters.
Cover the bottom of a large pot with the olive oil, and add the onions and garlic. When the oil is hot and the onions/garlic start to cook, add the ground meat. Break it apart and brown it. Sprinkle with Black Pepper to taste.
When the meat is browned, add the can of tomato paste and mix well. Then add the crushed tomatoes. (I rinse each can with about a quarter can of water not only to get all the crushed tomatoes, but to dilute the mixture since the tomato paste will tend to make the gravy thick.)
Next, add 2 teaspoons of sugar and the oregano, parsley and basil. (If you have fresh basil leaves, use 3-4 instead of the dried basil.
Mix everything well and let it come to a slow boil. If you did not add the ground meat in the beginning, then add the meat (or fish) of your choice as listed above. Do not cook the meat first but add it raw, it will cook in the gravy and be really moist. Also, the flavor of the meat will leach into the gravy for added flavor.
Let everything come to a slow simmer/boil and allow to cook for at least 3-4 hrs. The real secret is in the time cooked! The appearance of the gravy has to change from tomato red to a deep burgundy color, and only time will do that. Stir occasionally but cook over low heat or the gravy will burn and stick to the bottom of the pot.
If you choose to add fish instead of meat, do not add the ground meat in the beginning, but add the crab meat, mussels or shrimp as mentioned. I usually make the fish gravy only on Christmas Eve. for our annual 7-fish dinner, an Italian tradition.
How much meat or fish you add depends on the number of people you plan to serve.
Buon Appetito (Good Appetite) as we say in Italian! :)
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