Sunday Gravy with Meatballs and Sausage
Mains · Serves 8 · Prep 40 min · Cook 3 hr 30 min · Total 4 hr 10 min
The pot that simmers all Sunday afternoon: pork ribs, sausage and meatballs give everything they have to the tomatoes until the gravy is deep, sweet and meaty. Serve the pasta first and the platter of meat after, and make plenty, because it's even better on Monday.
Ingredients
The Gravy
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 1 1/2 lb bone-in pork spareribs or country-style ribs, cut into 2- or 3-rib pieces
- 1 lb sweet Italian sausage links
- 1 large yellow onion, finely chopped
- 6 clove garlic, thinly sliced
- 3 tbsp tomato paste
- 1/2 cup dry red wine
- 3 can (28 oz) whole peeled tomatoes, crushed by hand, with their juices
- 1 cup water
- 1 large sprig fresh basil
- 1 Parmigiano-Reggiano rind (optional but worth it)
- 1 1/2 tsp kosher salt, plus more to taste
- 1/2 tsp red pepper flakes
- 1 lb rigatoni or spaghetti, for serving
The Meatballs
- 2 slices day-old Italian bread, crusts removed, torn
- 1/2 cup whole milk
- 2 large eggs
- 3/4 cup finely grated Pecorino Romano, plus more for serving
- 1/4 cup chopped flat-leaf parsley
- 3 clove garlic, grated
- 1 1/2 tsp kosher salt
- 1/2 tsp black pepper
- 1 lb ground beef (80/20)
- 1/2 lb ground pork
Steps
The Gravy
- Heat the oil in a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Pat the ribs dry, season them with salt and brown them well on all sides in batches, 8 to 10 minutes. Set aside. Brown the sausages on all sides, about 6 minutes, and set them aside with the ribs (they finish cooking in the sauce).
- Lower the heat to medium. Add the onion and cook, stirring, until soft and golden, about 8 minutes. Add the garlic for 1 minute, then the tomato paste, stirring until it turns brick red, about 2 minutes. Pour in the wine, scrape up the browned bits and let it reduce by half, about 2 minutes.
- Add the tomatoes and their juices, the water, basil, cheese rind, salt and pepper flakes. Return the ribs and sausage to the pot. Bring to a simmer, then partly cover and keep it at a lazy bubble for 3 hours, stirring along the bottom every 20 to 30 minutes so nothing sticks.
The Meatballs
- While the gravy simmers, soak the bread in the milk for 5 minutes, then mash it into a paste. Mix in the eggs, Pecorino, parsley, garlic, salt and pepper. Add the beef and pork and mix with your hands just until combined. With wet hands, roll into 2-inch balls (about 18).
- Heat the oven to 425°F. Bake the meatballs on an oiled rimmed baking sheet until browned, 15 to 18 minutes. During the last hour of the gravy, slip them into the pot and simmer gently until tender and 160°F in the center, 45 to 60 minutes.
- Fish out the basil stem and cheese rind. Lift the ribs, sausage and meatballs onto a warm platter; the rib meat should be falling off the bone. Taste the gravy and add salt if needed.
- Cook the pasta in well-salted boiling water until 1 minute shy of al dente. Drain and toss it in a wide pan with a few ladles of gravy over low heat for 1 minute. Serve the pasta with more gravy and grated Pecorino, with the meat platter alongside.