If you grew up in an Italian family like I did, chances are you had Sunday Dinner (at 1:00 PM) each week with your family. And, if you were lucky enough like I was, that included your extended family. Each week from when I was a child until well into my 20’s, we were all at my Nonna’s house every Sunday for dinner and it was ALWAYS Sunday Sauce (If you are Italian and you aren’t eating Macaroni and a red sauce on Sunday, is it even Sunday? lol)
Maybe you are wondering about Sunday Gravy? Let me help settle the debate…it’s always Sauce and never Gravy (LOL). Italian Sauce vs Italian Gravy really depends on what it’s called in your Italian family. Another commonly used term you may have heard for the traditional Italian sauce is Sugo.
This tradition, though I didn’t appreciate it at the time, was something that just isn’t possible in today’s world of activiti
es, sports, and other obligations. Looking back now, it’s those family dinners became a big part of who I am. Whenever possible, l will have family dinner and make my Authentic Italian Sunday Sauce and try to keep the tradition going in some way.
Awesome SUNDAY GRAVY From a Great ITALIAN-AMERICAN COOK
GIANNI
Our Pal Gianni makes an awesome Sunday Gravy and we just love his passion. This recipe is for the Gravy that his Mom and Aunt Fran would make when Gianni was growing up in New Jersey where they make along with New York the Best Sunday Sauce Gravy to be found on the planet ..
SUNDAY SAUCE alla CLEMENZA
From The GODFATHER
This Sunday Sauce video is from our friend Daniel Bellino, author of Sunday Sauce –
When Italian-Americans Cook … We love Daniel’s book, his Sunday Sauce (Gravy) recipe, and especially Daniel’s great passion and love for Italian-American food and the rituals within … Daniel just like our buddy Gianni is “The Real Deal,” and these guys are both Italian-Americans from Jersey, one of the strongest Italian enclaves in the country. Bravo Daniele ! Bravo Gianni !
CARLA’S SUNDAY GRAVY NAPOLITAN
Carla makes an Awesome Sunday Gravy ..
She’s so Sweet, we just Love her.
Her and her awesome Gravy Napolitan ..
Brava Carla !!!
RAGU NAPOLITANA
The ORIGINAL SUNDAY SAUCE
The HISTORY of SUNDAY SAUCE GRAVY
RAGU NAPOLITAN
“THAT’S RIGHT, IT’S CALLED GRAVY” !!!
This girl just cracks us up .. And she’s from Jersey .. We swear, we didn’t plan this, but we realize most of the best Sunday Sauce gravy recipes come from New Jersey, more than anywhere else in the country, even Brooklyn and the rest of New York .. Well I guess Jersey Wins Top Prize for The Best SUNDAY GRAVY in All of America ..
LEARN How to Make SUNDAY SAUCE alla CLEMENZA
From THE GODFATHER
Cousin’s Antony & Daniel make an awesome SUNDAY SAUCE with Sausage, Meatballs. and Pork Spare Ribs .. We just love it .. Here they make this Gravy at Tony’s father’s house in Lodi, New Jersey which was at one time 100% Italian, mostly from Sicily and Napoli .. Tony & Daniel’s grandfather and grandmother were from Lercara Friddi Sicily, the same town that one Charles “Lucky” Lucciano was from, as well as another Jersey Boy named one Francis Albert Sinatra (Frank Sinatra) …
Excerpted from SUNDAY SAUCE – When Italian-American Cook
Of all the fine traditions of the Italian-American enclave in the United State, the Sunday afternoon ritual of making and eating a Sunday Sauce, a.k.a. “Gravy” is Italian-America’s most Time-Honored of all. Mamma, Grandma (Nonna) will make her celebrated “Sunday Sauce” and all is glorious. Sunday Sauce? What is it? Well, first off, Sunday Sauce, or as some call it, Gravy or simply “Sauce,” is without question thee number-1 undisputed “Supreme Dish” of our great Italian-American Cuisine and the Italian-American enclave as a whole, “It doesn’t get any better than a Sunday Sauce.” Ok, now, to be more specific for those who may not know about Sunday Sauce, there are a number of variations on the theme. Most Sunday Sauces are made with Italian Sausages, Braciole, and Meatballs. Some people make their versions with; Beef or Pork Neck, while others make their Gravy (Sunday Sauce) with just Sausage and Meatballs, like Pete Clemenza, or the most popular version of; Sausages, Meatballs, and Braciole. Some may throw some Chicken Thighs or a Veal Shank into this mix. Sunday Sauces can be made with any combination of these aforementioned meats. The meats are slowly simmered for several hours in a “Sauce” made with tomatoes, minced onions, and garlic. I generally like to make my Sunday Sauce Gravy with Sausages, Meatballs, and Pork Ribs. Other times I’ll make it with Sausage, Meatballs, and Braciole. An old tradition in some families is that mother or Grandma would start the Sauce early on a Sunday morning, get all the ingredients in the pot and start the Gravy simmering away for a couple hours on top of the stove, then put it in the oven for a couple hours while everyone goes to Church. When you get back home, the Sauce would be ready, “ready to be devoured that is!”
Our family would usually start our Sunday meal with the most traditional Italian-American-Antipasto of roast peppers, Salami, Olives, Celery, and Provolone. After that, it’s on to the Main Event of Maccheroni and Sunday Sauce, a dish which is something so Blissfully and Pleasurably Sublime, that it is almost “Sinful.” Yes it is.
When a meal centered around a Sunday Sauce is announced, one can have visions of Blissful Ecstasy at thoughts of eating Pasta laden with Italian Sausages, Savory Meatballs, Beef Braciola, and succulent Pork Ribs. All this has been slowly simmered to culinary perfection. Yes just the thoughts can enrapture one into a delightful frenzy of the “Most Blissful Feelings” of smelling, seeing, and consuming all the ingredients, the Sausages, Meatballs and Gravy. Yes a Sunday Sauce can and does have such effects on one’s mind, body, and soul. And, I do not want to sound prejudice, but this is pure fact, it is the Male of the Italian-American species who Love The Sunday Sauce in all its form, far more than the female sex. True! Meatballs too! And Italian-American men and boys Love and hold oh-so-dear, their Meatballs, Sunday Sauce, Sausage & Peppers, and Meatball Parm Sandwiches.
Cooking Italian 