Recipe: The Sunday Gravy

This hearty, over-the-top, authentic Italian sauce smells fantastic as it cooks — don’t be surprised if the neighbours unexpectedly drop by around dinner time. The sauce is packed with a mix of beef, pork and veal cuts, so it makes a big batch ideal for freezing in portions for easy, fabulous weeknight meals.  

The Sunday Gravy

By Josie Malevich

Ingredients

• 1 lb stewing beef
• Salt and freshly ground pepper (to taste)
• ¼ cup olive oil, divided
• 1 small rack baby back ribs, cut into 2-bone portions
• 1 veal shank (optional)
• 1 onion, chopped
• 1 carrot, chopped
• 1 rib celery, chopped
• 3 cloves garlic, halved
• 1 sprig rosemary
• Pinch hot pepper flakes (optional)
• 3 tbsp tomato paste
• ⅓ cup vermouth, dry white wine or red wine
• 2 ½ cups chicken stock
• 2 bay leaves
• 2 jars (680 mL) passata (strained and pureed tomatoes)
• 2 sweet or hot Italian sausages

Veal meatballs:

• 1 lb ground veal
• 1 egg
• ⅓ cup fresh or dried breadcrumbs
• 2 tbsp grated Parmesan cheese
• 2 tbsp finely chopped fresh parsley
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• ½ tsp each paprika and dried oregano
• Salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste

Assembly:

• 1 lb tagliatelle
• Grated Parmesan cheese, for serving
• 2 tbsp chopped fresh parsley or basil
• Rustic Italian loaf, for serving (optional)

Preparation

Sauce:

Pat stewing beef dry with paper towel and season with salt and pepper. Heat 2 tbsp oil in Dutch oven or large saucepan over medium heat. Cook beef in 2 batches until browned all over, about 8 to 10 minutes. Transfer to large tray. 

Pat ribs and veal shank with paper towel and season with salt and pepper. Heat 1 more tbsp oil in same pan.  Cook ribs and shank until browned all over, about 5 to 7 minutes. Transfer to tray.

Add onions, carrot, celery, garlic, rosemary and hot pepper flakes, if using to pan. Cook until vegetables start to soften, about 5 minutes. Stir in tomato paste and cook for 1 minute. Stir in vermouth, chicken stock and bay leaves; bring to a boil. Add stewing beef, ribs and shank to pan. Reduce heat to medium-low. Cover and simmer, stirring occasionally, until meats are tender, about 1 ½ hours to 2 hours. Stir in passata; bring back to a simmer.

Heat remaining tbsp of oil in skillet set over medium heat; cook sausages until browned all over, about 5 to 7 minutes.  Stir sausage into sauce.

Veal meatballs:

Meanwhile, mix together ground veal, egg, breadcrumbs, cheese, parsley, oil, garlic, paprika, oregano, salt and pepper until combined. Divide into 16 portions and roll into meatballs. 

Drop meatballs into sauce. Cover and simmer until meatballs are cooked through and tender about 30 to 35 minutes. Remove bay leaves. Stir in parsley. If desired shred meat off the bones with 2 forks and add meat back to sauce, discarding bones.

Assembly:

Cook pasta according to package directions. Drain, reserving ¼ cup pasta water.

Toss pasta with just enough of the sauce to coat. Stir in reserved pasta water to loosen pasta if needed. Serve sauce and meats with pasta, Parmesan cheese, bread and hot pepper flakes if desired.

Recipe notes:

Omit wine if desired and use more stock.

Beef, pork and veal cuts work well together in this sauce. Use whatever mix of cuts you like, just makes sure one of the cuts has the bone-in for added flavour.

Serve leftover sauce with polenta, mashed potatoes or risotto or use in lasagnas, stews, soups or sandwiches.