Sunday Gravy

Name: Sunday Gravy
Ingredients: Meatballs:; 1 1/2 slices white bread, left out overnight to become stale; 1 1/2 pounds ground beef; 1/3 cup grated Parmesan cheese; 1/2 cup finely chopped Italian leaf parsley; 1 large egg; salt and ground black pepper to taste; 1/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil, divided; 1 1/2 pounds sweet Italian sausage; 1 1/2 pounds pork ribs; 6 cloves garlic, finely chopped, or more to taste; 1 (6 ounce) can tomato paste; 1 medium sweet onion, chopped; 1 (28 ounce) can whole peeled tomatoes; 3 (28 ounce) cans unpeeled crushed tomatoes, or more as needed; 1 (28 ounce) can tomato puree; 1 tablespoon white sugar; 8 leaves fresh basil, chopped, or more to taste; 1 bay leaf, or to taste; 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano; 1 1/2 cups dry red wine

21 ingredients

6 steps

Ingredients

Meatballs:
1 1/2 slices white bread, left out overnight to become stale
1 1/2 pounds ground beef
1/3 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1/2 cup finely chopped Italian leaf parsley
1 large egg
salt and ground black pepper to taste
1/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil, divided
1 1/2 pounds sweet Italian sausage
1 1/2 pounds pork ribs
6 cloves garlic, finely chopped, or more to taste
1 (6 ounce) can tomato paste
1 medium sweet onion, chopped
1 (28 ounce) can whole peeled tomatoes
3 (28 ounce) cans unpeeled crushed tomatoes, or more as needed
1 (28 ounce) can tomato puree
1 tablespoon white sugar
8 leaves fresh basil, chopped, or more to taste
1 bay leaf, or to taste
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
1 1/2 cups dry red wine

Directions

1

Break stale bread into very small pieces and add to a large bowl. Add beef, Parmesan cheese, parsley, and egg. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Mix well and use wet hands to roll mixture into meatballs.
2

Heat about 2 tablespoons olive oil in a skillet over medium heat. Brown meatballs on all sides, about 5 minutes per batch. Transfer meatballs to a platter. Add sausage and pork ribs to the skillet and brown, about 5 minutes per batch. Transfer to the platter with the meatballs.
3

Heat about 2 tablespoons olive oil in an 8- to 10-quart pot over medium heat. Add garlic and cook just until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add tomato paste and stir to combine. Add onion and cook until soft and translucent, about 5 minutes. Add whole tomatoes and mash using a potato masher. Add crushed tomatoes and tomato puree; cook, stirring frequently.
4

Add browned sausage and ribs to the pot. Stir in sugar, basil, bay leaf, and oregano. Cook until bubbling with lid ajar, about 5 minutes. Reduce heat to lowest setting and cook, stirring frequently to prevent sticking, about 1 hour. Stir in red wine. Continue cooking about 1 and 1/2 to 2 hours more.
5

Remove sauce from heat and cover. Let sit 30 minutes to 1 hour.
6

Return sauce to medium heat and add meatballs. Cook, stirring frequently, until bubbling, about 5 minutes. Reduce heat to lowest setting until ready to serve.