Red gravy made easy

First of all, I'm not Italian. I dated an Italian bird for a short time but never ate her mother's cooking.

Through the years I have been a bit of a red gravy guru. At least in my own mind! As Tom Waits says, "I've wined, dined, sipped and supped in some of the most demonstrably beamer epitomable bistros...." Likewise I've had some downright raunchy red gravys and also some of the most memorable meals topped by a tasty topping of what I considered quite competent red gravies.

What the hell is a red gravy? Some of you may know it better as spaghetti sauce. Without sounding snobbish, spaghetti sauce is a tragic misnomer. Really, spaghetti sauce is what you buy in a can or jar. That's a shame really. The small time spent preparing a proper red gravy is well worth the effort. And it's easy.

Some will argue it's a time-consuming, all-day affair. Certainly you could make it such but it's not necessary. I do recommend that red gravy is prepared in a large batch and proportioned properly for whatever serving size you think is appropriate. It's like soup, prepare the day prior and serve the next.

When I first began making my own red gravy, I insisted on using fresh, plum tomatoes and making it one of those long, lenghty love affairs lasting the better part of an afternoon. In recent years though, I've found that quality canned crushed tomatos work just fine without sacrificing the final product. In addition, I've taken to adding chopped clams and a reduction of white wine or white vermouth and clam juice. The suggerimento de mer adds something I prefer though you may not.

After you get the base down, experiment with various herbs and spices that you think may be appropriate. Some will suggest fresh herbs only at serving time. Use your own judgment I guess. The only warning is that if you use fresh herbs in the simmer, be sure it's just that, a simmer. Don't let the gravy boil. Me, I mainly use dried herbs in the gravy and top the final product with a generous dose of fresh, chopped basil and/or whatever feels right.