Shelly's Personal Favorite Pasta Sauce (Gravy)

Posted by Shellbob at recipegoldmine.com 3:34:52pm 9/6/03

Being not only half Italian, but also full blooded native Texan, this sauce is a little spicy. If you don't want it too spicy, use red pepper flakes on the lower end of the scale, and make sure you don't use spicy pepperoni.

1/2 to 1 teaspoon red pepper flakes, to
    your taste for spiciness
4 cloves garlic, chopped
1 medium onion, minced
1 can beef broth
1 (28 ounce) can crushed tomatoes
1 (14 ounce) can chopped tomatoes
1/4 cup finely chopped fresh parsley
3 tablespoons chopped fresh basil
1 teaspoon anchovy paste
1/2 cup finely chopped pepperoni (use food processor)
Ground beef, optional - use if making meat sauce
Ground pork, optional - use if making meat sauce
Italian sausage, optional - use if making meat sauce
Salt and pepper, to taste

If making a meat sauce, brown beef, pork and/or sausage (in any combination you like and in any quantity you like) in large saucepan (actually, I have to use a Dutch oven to accommodate all the ingredients) and drain grease. Over medium high heat, add pepper flakes, garlic, onion and pepperoni to the pan and saute 1 minute. Add broth to the pan, then chopped and crushed tomatoes, anchovy paste, parsley and basil. (Note: you may have to add more tomato products or beef broth to the sauce if using meat and it is thicker than you like it. If so, adjust other spices accordingly as well.) Allow sauce to come to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer until ready to serve, a minimum of 20 minutes. If time permits, simmer sauce slowly for about 2 hours prior to serving, keeping in mind that the longer it simmers, the spicier the pepper will get, so watch the amount that you use at the beginning of the recipe - it can always be adjusted towards the end of the cooking if not spicy enough.

If serving with meatballs, add meatballs to sauce when reducing heat to a simmer.

Before serving, taste for salt and pepper and adjust as needed, according to taste.

Serve over spaghetti.

Yield: 4 - 6 LARGE servings