I’ve shared memories of my father’s “Sunday Gravy,“ a classic Italian tomato sauce that was loaded with meatballs, sausage, and pork neck bones. Every Italian family has a recipe for this simple yet totally delicious staple.
Writing about my memories inspired me to make my own gravy. This was a few months ago and the batch I made was huge. Most of it found its way into the freezer and was promptly forgotten. I did create a braised pork recipe (check it out on my RECIPES page) that was the essence of the pork neck bones as I remembered them. Some of that wound up in the freezer as well.
Fast forward to this week when I was cleaning out the freezer. I found 3 cartons of beautiful red goodness. I knew they were all gravy, but I didn’t know what else was in them. So, I put the 3 ruby cubes in a pot, and let them thaw over low heat. What resulted was gravy filled with all three wonderful meats.
I cut the meats into bite size pieces and returned it to the sauce. I found a large package of extra wide egg noodles that reminded me of lasagna. These became the pasta component. A little ricotta, cheese, and herbs were added and Sunday Gravy Casserole was born. This is really a riff on Poor Man’s Lasagna. Just search by the title on my RECIPES page)
Every bite of this was filled with meaty goodness. There was just enough cheese to make it feel decadent. The noodles stayed firm and held their shape. It was too good to be eaten alone, so I sent a generous pan over to the “new parents”
- 1 Pound Extra Wide Egg Noodles
- 4 Cups Italian Tomato Gravy
- Meatballs Cut in bite size pieces
- Italian Sausage Cut in bite size pieces
- Braised Pork Cut in bite size pieces
- 3/4 Cup Ricotta
- 1 Egg
- 1 Tsp. Italian heb Blend Like McCormick Grinder
- 2 Cups Shredded Italian Cheese Blend
- 8 Ounces Fresh Mozzarella Sliced
- Cook the noodles in boiling salted water until just barely done (1-2 minutes less than package directions). Reserve a cup or so of the pasta water. Drain the pasta and rinse under cold water to stop the cooking. Set aside.
- Heat the gravy and meats in a large saucepan until bubbling gently. Add some of the pasta water if the gravy seems tight. Keep warm
- Beat the egg lightly and add it to the ricotta along with the Italian seasoning. Set aside.
- Put the mozzarella in the freezer for about 30 minutes (leave the packaging on). This makes the cheese easier to slice thinly. Slice the cheese 1/4 inch thick.
- To assemble the casserole: spray a large rectangular baking dish with non-stick spray. Spoon 1/3 of the sauce into the pan, spreading it evenly. Add half of the noodles and top it with dollops of the ricotta.
- Spoon another 1/3 of the sauce on top of the ricotta and noodles. Sprinkle with half of the grated cheese blend.
- Add the remaining noodles to the casserole. Top with the remaining sauce and sprinkle with the other half of the the grated cheese. Cover with foil and bake in a 350 degree oven for about 30 minutes.
- Remove the foil and top with the sliced mozzarella. Return to the oven uncovered and bake for another 10 minutes. The casserole should be bubbly and the cheese should be melted.
- Set the oven at broil and position the casserole about 4 inches from the heat source. Broil until the cheese begins to brown and bubble.
- Remove from the oven and allow to rest for 10 minutes before serving.
