Fair One: Gravy or Sauce

If you are from an Italian family - especially in the northeast part of the United States - you likely call the stuff you put on pasta, gravy. I know this particular moniker is the source of fierce debate, but whatever you call this blend of tomatoes, onions, garlic, and spices cooked for at least three hours with a lot of meat, it’s delicious.

How did this term “gravy” originate?

My Wikipedia search extensive research reveals that "gravy" is an erroneous English translation from the Italian sugo which means juice, but can also mean sauce (as in sugo per pastasciutta). The expression for "gravy" in Italian is sugo d'arrosto, which is literally "juice of a roast" and is not specifically tomato sauce.”

Che cosa?

This explanation has apparently been adapted to explain that a spaghetti topping cooked with meat is called gravy and a topping made with other ingredients and no meat, such as Pesto or Alfredo, is called sauce.

Well, I’m glad that’s settled.

South Philly native and Philadelphia radio/TV personality and author Lorraine Ranalli wrote a book called “Gravy Wars” about this inexhaustible cultural conflict…when I finish reading it, I’ll write a review! In my family, we always called it gravy since my Italian grandmom made hers with meatballs, sausage and, if she really liked us that week, braciole.

So, this discussion is only useful if I tell you how to make this traditional Italian favorite:

The ingredients:

* Olive Oil
* 1 medium onion, diced
* Garlic, 4 (or 6 or 8) cloves, minced
* 1 can each of tomato puree, sauce and paste
* 1 puree can full of water
* 2 Tablespoons Italian seasoning
* 2 Tablespoons fresh oregano
* 2 Tablespoons fresh parsley
* Brown sugar, about two tablespoons (I find this mellows the acidity of the tomatoes)
* Salt


Brown the meat -- homemade meatballs and pork sausage made with parsley and romano cheese -- in a large pan. Once browned, remove and set aside…juices will flow to the bottom of the bowl.

In the same pan in which you browned the meat (do not wash it!), sauté the onions and garlic until a bit brown.

Add the puree, sauce and paste and the water and give the mixture a good swirl until the paste dissolves.

Add the spices, sugar and salt.

Add the meat with the juices and simmer for at least three hours.

I started my gravy at 11:34 a.m. and we did not eat until after 5:00 p.m.....and that's how it's done. This may have been my best batch ever. I served the gravy on fresh pasta accompanied by my house red wine, Cantina Zaccagnini.

Youngest daughter loves spaghetti and meatballs so I made her a special dinner for her last weekend home before heading off to the Honors Program at the University of Delaware next Saturday...she will do amazing things, trust me! Mom, sister, older daughter and her BF came to say "see you later."

Where did the time go?