Donofrio Sunday Gravy

Total Time: 4 hrs 45 mins Preparation Time: 45 mins Cook Time: 4 hrs

Ingredients

• Servings: 8
• 1 lb ground beef (or a combo of beef & lamb)
• 3 tablespoons dry basil leaves
• 1 1/2 cups romano cheese (locatelli is the best!)
• 2 tablespoons fresh italian parsley (chopped)
• 2 garlic cloves (minced, you may also add garlic powder if you like a lot of garlic flavor)
• 2 eggs (1 more if necessary)
• 2 cups italian seasoned breadcrumbs (more or less depending on how "wet" the meatball mixture feels)
• 1 teaspoon salt (more or less)
• 1 teaspoon ground black pepper (more or less)
• 1 tablespoon olive oil (for frying)
• 1 lb lamb chop (white-meat)
• 1 tablespoon olive oil (for frying)
• 1 garlic clove (minced)
• 1 pinch salt & pepper
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 large yellow onion (finely chopped)
• 4 garlic cloves (minced)
• 4 (28 ounce) cans crushed tomatoes
• 4 tablespoons dry basil leaves (more or less)
• 2 tablespoons garlic powder (more or less)
• 3 tablespoons fresh basil leaves (chopped)

Recipe

• 1 meatballs:.
• 2 combine all dry ingredients.
• 3 combine meat and eggs.
• 4 add all dry ingredients to the meat mixture.
• 5 add more breadcrumbs or eggs if needed.
• 6 heat olive oil in frying pan on medium heat.
• 7 take about 1-2 tablespoons of meatball mixture and roll into balls until all are done.
• 8 put as many meatballs in the frying pan as possible.
• 9 brown on each side. (do not cook all the way through. they will finish cooking in the sauce).
• 10 drain oil.
• 11 set meatballs aside until ready to add to sauce.
• 12 lamb chops:.
• 13 heat oil in frying pan on medium heat.
• 14 add garlic gloves and cook until translucent.
• 15 add lamb chops.
• 16 sprinkle with salt & pepper.
• 17 brown on both sides. (do not cook all the way through, will finish cooking in the sauce).
• 18 set aside until ready to put in sauce.
• 19 gravy:.
• 20 heat olive oil on low heat in large sauce pot.
• 21 add garlic & onion and cook until soft and translucent.
• 22 add cans of crushed tomatoes.
• 23 add all remaining ingredients except for the fresh basil.
• 24 add meatballs & lamb chops.
• 25 raise the heat to medium-low.
• 26 cover.
• 27 add fresh basil half an hour before sauce is removed from the heat.
• 28 cook for 4-8 hours. (more is better!).
• 29 if sauce starts bubbling, lower the heat.
• 30 keep doing taste tests to see if any more ingredients need to be added to your liking.
• 31 when gravy is done, spoon out meatballs and lamb chops and serve in a separate platter or large bowl. enjoy gravy with your favorite pasta. (my selection would be rigatoni, sprinkled with more romano cheese and a spoonful of ricotta cheese! yummy!).