North End Sunday Gravy
A long-simmered tomato sauce studded with braised meats, the weekly Sunday dinner tradition of Boston's North End Italian community.
- Prep
- 30 min
- Cook
- 240 min
- Total
- 270 min
- Servings
- 8
- Difficulty
- Medium
- Calories
- 520 kcal
Equipment
- •Large heavy pot or Dutch oven
Nutrition
Per serving, approximate
- Calories
- 520 kcal
- fat
- 24
- carbs
- 44
- protein
- 32
- calories
- 520
Instructions
- 1
Heat olive oil in a large pot. Brown the sausage, braciole (stuffed rolled meat), and meatballs in batches, then set them aside.
- 2
Add onion and garlic to the same pot. Cook until softened.
- 3
Pour in the red wine and scrape up the browned bits from the bottom. Let the liquid bubble down slightly.
- 4
Pour in the crushed tomatoes. Return all the browned meats to the pot.
- 5
Bring the sauce to a gentle simmer. Turn the burner down to low and cover the pot partially.
- 6
Simmer gently for at least 3-4 hours. Stir occasionally and skim any excess fat from the top.
- 7
Stir in the fresh basil. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
- 8
Take out the meats and slice the braciole. Spoon sauce over pasta and serve the meats alongside.
Chef's tips
Brown the meats well before simmering to build a deep base flavor, and let the sauce simmer low and slow for hours so the meat becomes fall-apart tender. Skim excess fat from the top occasionally as it cooks.
Storage
Refrigerate up to 4 days; freezes well up to 3 months.
Reheating
Reheat gently on the stovetop, adding a splash of water if too thick.
Common mistakes to avoid
- •Rushing the simmer time, leaving the meat tough.
- •Not browning the meats first, resulting in a flatter flavor.
Serving suggestions
Cooked North End Sunday Gravy?
Sign in to save this recipe to a collection. Bookmarking works without an account — it stays on this device.
Sign in for collectionsSimilar recipes
Dishes with the same spirit, spice level and course.
More from Massachusetts
Cooking that shares the same kitchen and pantry.
Recipes using similar ingredients
Use what you already bought for this recipe.
