Gravy is used by many Americans of Italian descent to refer to spaghetti sauce. This is the correct name. Obsoive.

If you go to Italy and visit your Italian cousin's house, she will feed you. She will probably give you pasta, which will probably be covered in gravy. You will ask her what the deal is, because your girlfriend makes fun of you for being accurate. You will then learn that the Italian word for "sauce" is la salsa, however, the Italians use il sugo for the stuff that goes on top of ziti. They're not even the same gender, people. Let's get this straight! Tomato sauce is called gravy and don't you forget it!

For the record, we have the proper name here, despite that recipe being totally destroyed by ketchup.

Now, the item that turns la salsa pomodoro into il sugo is very easy to obtain. MEAT. Red meat to be precise. Gravy the way my family makes it requires two kinds: beef meatballs and a piece of pork.

So anyway, here is what to do.

mkb's mom's (and mom's family's) GRAVY for SPAGHETTI, MACARONI, ZITI, LINGUINE, YOU NAME IT

Ingredients
• An even number of 28 ounce (1 pound and 12 ounces) cans of Pastene Kitchen Ready Ground Peeled Tomatoes or similar. I like to use two cans of chunky style and two cans of regular. Sometimes I use Muir Glen Organic.
• For each two cans of tomatoes, use 6 ounces of tomato paste.
• One white or yellow onion
• Garlic Powder or numerous cloves of fresh garlic (in this case do not use a press, just chop it up a bit then throw it in)
• Basil, preferably in fresh or frozen form.
• Salt and pepper
• Pork (I use a pair of pork chops, bone in)
• Meatballs. Making these is separate. I use the same recipe as momomom, except with no parsley or celery.
• Italian sausage if you want it.
• Olive oil

Equipment
• A very large stock pot.
• A pan for browning the sausage if you are using them.
• An appropriately-sized spoon and fork.

Step One: Coat the bottom of the stock pot with oil, and put it on the stove just hot enough so it doesn't bubble all over and get on your pants. Plop the pork in there and let it brown. Put the onion in to keep it company. Now is a good time to start cooking the sausage as well.

Step Two: Once the meat has browned, open up your cans of tomatoes. Empty them into the pot, one by one. Now, fill each one half full with water, then pour the water in, making sure to take all the tomato with it. Open up the tomato paste and put that in, too.

Step Three: Sprinkle enough salt to cover the top, then stir. Repeat with the pepper. Do the same with the garlic (or throw in the slices). Do the same with the basil (or toss in a few whole leaves). Do the same with some grated parmesan or romano cheese. If you are making your own meatballs, now is the time to do that.

Step Four: Put in the sausage and meatballs. Wait until the stuff has your preferred consistency. KEEP KIDS AWAY! They will try and get at the meatballs!

I usually serve this right away, but it keeps very well, and there's definitely too much to eat at once. You should probably eat the pork right away, but only for logistical purposes; this stuff lasts forever in the freezer.

In the simplest sense, gravy is a sauce that is based on the juices and flavourings that are left over from roasted or pan-fried meat. In practice of course, the variations on this simple theme are numerous.

The first major split in gravy comes with flour. Gravies fall into 2 main groups; thickened or clear.

Thickened gravies usually have their origins in British based cookery. They result in a somewhat heavy and opaque sauce. After a joint of meat or poultry has been roasted, the excess fat is poured away, leaving a modest amount behind. The roasting pan is set on the stovetop and brought to a gentle heat. A few tablespoons of flour is added and stirred into a paste - known as a roux. Liquid is then added - stock, wine, milk, water, verjuice or vegetable cooking water and the resultant sauce is simmered to the desired consistency.

Clear gravies are in the main inspired by French cuisine, where they are known as jus. They rely on reduction (simmering away the excess liquid) to achieve the right consistency. They are sometimes enriched by the addition of a small amount of butter towards the end of cooking to thicken the sauce and add extra gloss. Clear gravies are also sometimes thickened with vegetable purees or cream.

Both these styles rely on one major factor, and without this step your gravy will taste thin and disappointing - deglazing. This simply refers to removing the sediment and any nicely browned bits of meat juices clinging to the pan with the aid of a liquid. Make sure to take your time and scrape up all those browned bits of goodness and you will end up with a much more flavoursome gravy.

Here are a couple of recipes for gravy. The first is a traditional flour-thickened gravy for roasted meats, while the second is a fast, flourless version for pan-fried meat or poultry.

Traditional gravy for roasted meats

Ingredients

1 roast - meat or poultry

4 Tbs plain flour

2 cups liquid (stock, wine, verjuice, milk, water - or a combination. Warmed)

1 small onion, finely chopped

Sea salt

Freshly ground black pepper

Method

When the roast is cooked, remove it from the baking tray and set aside in a warm spot to rest while you make the gravy. Place the tray on the stovetop and set on a gentle heat. Add the onion and cook for a few minutes to let it colour a little, stirring well. Pour away all but 4 Tbs of the fat and place the tray back on the heat.

Add the flour and stir well until you have a nice smooth paste. Cook this roux for a few minutes, as this will remove the raw flour taste. Add the liquid and stir well to lift all the sediment from the base of the pan and smooth out any lumps in the roux. If the gravy is too thick, add a little more liquid.

Simmer until the sauce has reached the desired consistency and taste for salt and pepper. You may well not need any if the roast was well seasoned. Strain the gravy into a sauceboat and serve alongside your roast.

Quick pan gravy for meat or poultry

Ingredients

Pan-fried meat or poultry

1 Tbs mustard

1 cup liquid (stock, wine, milk - or a combination)

Chopped fresh herbs (parsley, chives or tarragon)

Sea salt

Freshly ground black pepper

1 Tbs butter

Method

Transfer the cooked meat to a warm plate and keep warm while you make the sauce. Pour away almost all the excess fat from the pan - but leave any sediment behind. Place the pan on a medium heat. Add the liquid and stir well to lift up all the sediment. Add the mustard then turn the heat up high.

Stir well and allow the sauce to reduce by half, and it begins to thicken a little. Add the salt and pepper if required, then add the herbs. Remove the pan from the heat and add the butter. Stir constantly as the butter melts, so it incorporates into the sauce. Stain into a sauceboat and serve alongside you grilled meat or poultry.

Gra"vy (?), n; pl. Gravies (#). [OE. greavie; prob. fr. greaves, graves, the sediment of melted tallow. See Greaves.]

1.

The juice or other liquid matter that drips from flesh in cooking, made into a dressing for the food when served up.

2.

Liquid dressing for meat, fish, vegetables, etc.

© Webster 1913.