Sunday Gravy With Sausages And Meatballs

Total Time: 2 hrs 30 mins Preparation Time: 1 hr Cook Time: 1 hr 30 mins

Ingredients

• Servings: 8
• 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
• 3 center-cut lamb chops (total weight 1 to 1 1/4 lb.)
• 1 1/4 lbs sweet italian sausage, halved horizontally
• 1 cup chopped onion
• 2 plump garlic cloves, peeled and finely minced
• 1/4 teaspoon fennel seed
• 1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt
• 3 1/2 cups pureed canned tomatoes
• 1 (6 ounce) can tomato paste
• parmigiano-reggiano cheese, rinds (or end bits of pecorino romano)
• 1 lb spaghetti or 1 lb rigatoni pasta
• freshly grated pecorino romano cheese
• 12 ounces ground beef
• 4 slices bread, crusts removed and discarded, cut into tiny cubes
• 1/4 cup milk
• 3/4-1 cup freshly grated pecorino romano cheese
• 3 fresh basil leaves, torn into small pieces
• 1 tablespoon chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
• 1 egg, lightly beaten
• 1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt

Recipe

• 1 make the meatballs: in a large mixing bowl, combine beef, bread, and milk.
• 2 add the cheese, basil, parsley, egg, and salt.
• 3 mix gently but thoroughly.
• 4 form into small meatballs, no more than 1 1/2 inches in diameter; set aside (can cover and refrigerate while you are making the sauce).
• 5 heat olive oil in a heavy-bottomed stockpot.
• 6 add lamb chops and sausages and brown on all sides.
• 7 transfer lamb chops to a plate to make room for the onions.
• 8 toss the onions into the pot with the garlic, fennel seeds, and salt.
• 9 saute over medium heat stirring frequently and scraping up any bits left behind by the lamb and sausages, until the onions are soft and golden.
• 10 put the lamb chops back in the pot with any juices on the plate.
• 11 add the tomatoes, 4 1/2 cups water, and tomato paste.
• 12 drop in a few cheese rinds or ends if you have any.
• 13 cover the pot, bring to a boil; decrease the heat, and simmer for 30 minutes.
• 14 gently drop in the meatballs, 1 at a time, shaking the pot a bit to encourage them to nestle in with the lamb and sausage and to make room for the addition of more meatballs.
• 15 after all the meatballs have been added, continue to simmer, covered, for 1 hour longer, or until the lamb chops are very tender.
• 16 to finish the gravy, transfer the lamb chops to a cutting board.
• 17 remove and discard the bones, chop up the meat, and return it to the sauce.
• 18 keep warm over low heat while you cook the pasta.
• 19 bring a large pot of water to a boil.
• 20 generously salt the water and drop in the spaghetti.
• 21 cook, stirring often, until al dente; drain pasta.
• 22 to serve--start with a large, heated deep platter or pasta bowl.
• 23 cover the bottom with a ladleful of gravy and a good sprinkling of pecorino romano.
• 24 top with half the pasta.
• 25 add more gravy and cheese, the remaining pasta, and another layer of gravy and cheese.
• 26 serve immediately with more grated cheese.
• 27 pass the meatballs, sausage, lamb, and additional gravy in a bowl at the table.