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Pressure Cooker Sunday Gravy (Traditional Oven Method is included)

Sunday Gravy is an Italian-American dish– very popular on the East Coast. The “gravy” is more of a ragu that has been slowly simmered with various meats. There are many variations of this recipe, each of them touting to be “the best”. This recipe version has been adapted to a pressure cooker, to shorten the time to under an hour. It might not be Nonna's way of making it, but it's comfort food with lots of rich flavor.
Course main
Cuisine Italian
Keyword Pressure Cooker Sunday Gravy, Sunday Gravy
Prep Time 1 hour 30 minutes
Cook Time 45 minutes
Total Time 2 hours 15 minutes
Servings 8
Author Debby - www.AFeastfortheEyes.net

Equipment

  • Pressure Cooker (the instructions also includes a traditional stove top version)

Ingredients

  • SAUCE:
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 1 rack baby back ribs about 2 1/4 pounds, cut into 2-rib sections
  • Table salt and ground black pepper
  • 1 pound hot Italian sausage links
  • 2 medium onions chopped fine (about 2-cups)
  • 1 1/4 teaspoons dried oregano
  • 3 tablespoons tomato paste
  • 4 medium garlic cloves minced or pressed through garlic press (about 4-teaspoons)
  • 2 28-ounce cans crushed tomatoes
  • 2/3 cup beef broth
  • 1/4 cup fresh basil leaves chopped
  • MEATBALLS:
  • 2 slices hearty white sandwich bread crusts removed and bread cut into 1/2-inch cubes
  • 1/2 cup buttermilk Six tablespoons of plain yogurt thinned with 2 tablespoons of milk can be substituted for the buttermilk.
  • 1/4 cup fresh parsley leaves chopped
  • 2 medium garlic cloves minced or pressed through garlic press (about 2 teaspoons)
  • 1 large egg yolk
  • 1/2 teaspoon table salt
  • 1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
  • 1 pound meatloaf mix* I used a combo of ground beef and pork
  • 2 ounces thinly sliced prosciutto chopped fine
  • 1 ounce Pecorino Romano grated (about 1/2 cup)
  • 1/2 cup olive oil
  • PASTA:
  • 1 1/2 pounds spaghetti or linguine
  • 2 tablespoons table salt
  • Grated parmesan cheese for serving

Instructions

Pressure cooker method:

  • Do not preheat the oven, as you won't be using it for the pressure cooker.
  • Using the saute feature of your pressure cooker, add a thin layer of oil.
    Pat ribs dry with paper towels and season with salt and pepper. Add half of ribs to pot and brown on both sides, 5 to 7 minutes total. Transfer ribs to large plate and brown remaining ribs.

Traditional method:

  • Adjust oven rack to lower- middle position and heat oven to 325°F
  • Heat oil in large Dutch oven over medium-high heat until just smoking. Pat ribs dry with paper towels and season with salt and pepper. Add half of ribs to pot and brown on both sides, 5 to 7 minutes total. Transfer ribs to large plate and brown remaining ribs.
  • After transferring second batch of ribs to plate, brown sausages on all sides, 5 to 7 minutes total. Transfer sausages to plate with ribs.

For the Sauce (stove top version):

  • Reduce heat to medium, add onions and oregano; cook, stirring occasionally, until beginning to brown, about 5 minutes.
  • Add tomato paste and cook, stirring constantly, until very dark, about 3 minutes.
  • Stir in garlic and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds.
  • Add crushed tomatoes and broth, scraping up any browned bits. Return ribs and sausage to pot; bring to simmer, cover, and transfer to oven**.
  • Cook until ribs are tender, about 2½ hours**.

For the sauce (pressure cooker version):

  • Once the meats have been browned, and the sauce made, cover and lock on the pressure cooker lid. Pressure cook on high for 45 minutes. In the meantime, prepare the meatballs.

For the meatballs (can be made a day ahead):

  • Meanwhile, combine bread cubes, buttermilk, parsley, garlic, egg yolk, salt, and red pepper flakes in medium bowl and mash with fork until no bread chunks remain.
  • Add meatloaf mix, prosciutto, and cheese to bread mixture; mix with hands until thoroughly combined.
  • Divide mixture into 12 pieces; roll into balls, transfer to plate, cover with plastic, and refrigerate until ready to use.
  • When sauce is 30 minutes from being done, heat oil in large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat until shimmering.
    If using a pressure cooker, use the saute function.

Cook the meatballs:

  • Add meatballs and cook until well browned all over, 5 to 7 minutes. Transfer meatballs to paper towel-lined plate to drain briefly.

Oven version:

  • Remove sauce from oven and skim fat from top with large spoon. Transfer browned meatballs to sauce and gently submerge. Cover, return pot to oven, and continue cooking until meatballs are just cooked through, about 15 minutes.

Pressure cooker version:

  • When the pressure cooker beeps, release the pressure and carefully remove the lid. Skim fat from top with large spoon. Transfer browned meatballs to sauce and gently submerge. Replace the lid, and lock it, and pressure cook for 3 minutes. Release the pressure and carefully remove the lid.

Pasta:

  • Meanwhile, bring 6 quarts water to boil in large pot. Add pasta and salt and cook until al dente. Reserve 1/2 cup cooking water; drain pasta and transfer back to cooking pot.
  • To serve: Using tongs, transfer meatballs, ribs, and sausage to serving platter and cut sausages in half.
  • Stir basil into sauce and adjust seasoning with salt and pepper.
  • Toss pasta with 1 cup sauce and reserved pasta cooking water so that sauce lightly coats pasta. Serve pasta, passing remaining sauce and meat platter separately.

Notes

Notes: I made the meatball mixture, first, since my pressure cooker time was 45 minutes. If using the stove top method, you will have 2-1/2 hours of time to make the meatballs-- which are absolutely delicious on their own!
Note: Prosciutto and cheese are added to the meatball mixture to mimic the flavor of the brasciole.
 
Recipe source: America's Test Kitchen