Sunday Sauce by Bellino – Author Daniel Bellino Zwicke


A Pot of SUNDAY SAUCE

alla BELLINO alla PACINO

“SOME CALL IT GRAVY”

 


SUNDAY SAUCE

Daniel Bellino Zwicke


SUNDAY SAUCE


Daniel Bellino-Zwicke’s recipe for Sunday Sauce is a classic Italian-American gravy, featuring a long simmer time and a combination of meats

. His recipe is published in his book, Sunday Sauce: When Italian-Americans Cook. 

About Daniel Bellino’s recipe –

Bellino-Zwicke’s recipe, like others in his cookbook, is based on traditional Italian-American family recipes and food culture.
  • It celebrates the tradition of simmering a meat-based tomato sauce for several hours to create a rich flavor.
  • An excerpt from his book notes that meat combinations often include sausages, meatballs, and beef braciole, though pork neck and veal shank are also possible additions.
  • His book also includes recipes for famous movie-inspired sauces, such as Clemenza’s Sunday Sauce from The Godfather and Sinatra’s Spaghetti & Meatballs. 
  • Where to find the recipe
  • The book: The full recipe is available in his cookbook, Sunday Sauce: When Italian-Americans Cook. This can be purchased from online retailers like Amazon, Barnes & Noble, and AbeBooks.
  • Excerpts: Excerpts and summaries of the recipe’s approach and ingredients can be found on Daniel Bellino-Zwicke’s personal website and various food blogs.
  • Inspired recipes: Since Bellino-Zwicke’s recipe is a classic version of the Italian-American Sunday Sauce, many similar recipes exist online, often referencing the same key elements, like a long simmer time and a combination of meats. 
  • General Sunday sauce preparation
  • While the specific recipe is proprietary to Bellino-Zwicke’s book, the general method for this type of Sunday sauce, or “gravy,” is widely known. It involves: 
Browning a combination of meats, such as Italian sausages, meatballs, and pork.
  1. Adding aromatics like onion and garlic.
  2. Combining with tomatoes and other flavorings (such as tomato paste, wine, and herbs).
  3. Slow-simmering for several hours to allow the flavors to meld and the meats to become tender. 
  4. The final sauce can then be served over pasta, with the cooked meat as a second course.





“MAKING SUNDAY SAUCE”

Author DANIEL BELLINO ZWICKE

At UNCLE TONY’S HOUSE

LODI, NEW JERSEY


MORE on SUNDAY SAUCE

Daniel Bellino-Zwicke’s book, 

Sunday Sauce: When Italian-Americans Cook, doesn’t contain just one single recipe, but rather presents a variety of Sunday sauce traditions reflecting different family customs. The core difference between the recipes is typically the combination of meats used. 

Here are the variations of Sunday sauce included in the book, based on Bellino-Zwicke’s writing: 

The popular trio: Many families, including the most popular version Bellino-Zwicke describes, make their sauce with a trio of Italian sausages, meatballs, and beef braciole. This is considered a foundational version of the dish.
  • A simpler sauce: For some, a simpler version of the sauce is made with just sausages and meatballs. This version is notably featured as Pete Clemenza’s sauce in The Godfather.
  • Pork variations: Other families incorporate pork into their sauce. Some versions use pork neck, while Bellino-Zwicke mentions that he sometimes makes his Sunday sauce with sausages, meatballs, and pork ribs.
  • Other meat options: The author notes that other meats can be added to the mix. Some families might include chicken thighs or a veal shank.
  • “Secret Sauce”: The cookbook also includes a “Secret Sauce,” or Salsa Segreta, recipe. Inspired by the old-school Italian red-sauce joint Gino’s of Lexington Avenue, this version is distinct from the typical meat-heavy Sunday sauce. 






“RED SAUCE”

ROCCO’S ITALIAN RESTAURANT

GREENWICH VILLAGE

Get a FINE ART PRINT from FINE ART AMERICA




Nonna Makes Sunday Sauce – with Meatballs & Sausage

 


NONNA GINA PETITTI

NONNA Makes SAUCE

NONNA GINA Makes SUNDAY SAUCE

Recipe – Nonna Gina

MEATBALLS :

2 lbs. Ground Beef
2 Extra Large Eggs
1/2 cup chopped Fresh Parsley
1 teaspoon Salt
1/4 teaspoon powdered Garlic
1/2 cup grated Pecorino Cheese
1/2 teaspoon Black Pepper
1/2 cup Bread Crumbs

Sauce/Gravy:
3 quarts Tomato Puree
1/4 cup Fresh Basil
1/4 cup Fresh Parsley (optional)
Olive Oil
1/2 cup sliced Onion
2 cloves Garlic
4-6 Pork Neck Bones
4-6 Pork Ribs
6 Sweet Italian Pork Sausage
Meatballs (from above)
Salt & Pepper to taste
NONNA GINA PETITTI
Gina Petitti was born in 1935 in Faeto, Italy. Her family ran a farm in Italy and she met her husband, Vito, in the same town. In 1970 Gina, Vito, and her 4 children immigrated to America. Gina’s husband passed away in 2012, but she is surrounded by a large family, which includes 9 grandchildren, and lives 5 minutes away from her eldest daughter in New Jersey. Gina spends her time cooking, gardening, and being an active member of her local Church.







Some More GREAT SAUCE !!!


SUNDAY SAUCE

alla BELLINO alla PACINO

CLEMENZA’S GODFATHER SAUCE

JOE DiMAGGIO’S Mom’s GRAVY

MEATBALLS – BRACIOLE

And MUCH MORE

AMERICA’S FAVORITE ITALIAN COOKBOOK

SUNDAY SAUCE by DANIEL BELLINO



Gravy

SUNDAY SAUCE by Daniel Bellino Zwicke

SUNDAY SAUCE
by Daniel Bellino Zwicke

SUNDAY SAUCE  “some Call It GRAVY” !!!!

Excerpted from SUNDAY SAUCE – When Italian-American Cook 

Of all the fine traditions of the Italian-American enclave in the United State, the Sunday afternoon ritual  of making  and eating a Sunday  Sauce, a.k.a. “Gravy” is Italian-America’s most Time-Honored of all. Mamma, Grandma (Nonna) will make her celebrated “Sunday Sauce” and all is glorious. Sunday Sauce? What is it? Well, first off, Sunday Sauce, or as some call it, Gravy or simply “Sauce,” is without question thee number-1 undisputed “Supreme Dish” of our great Italian-American Cuisine and the Italian-American enclave as a whole, “It doesn’t get any better than a Sunday Sauce.” Ok, now, to be more specific for those who may not know about Sunday Sauce, there are a number of variations on the theme. Most Sunday Sauces are made with Italian Sausages, Braciole, and Meatballs. Some people make their versions with; Beef or Pork Neck, while others make their Gravy (Sunday Sauce) with just Sausage and Meatballs, like Pete Clemenza, or the most popular version of; Sausages, Meatballs, and Braciole.  Some may throw some Chicken Thighs or a Veal Shank into this mix. Sunday Sauces can be made with any combination of these aforementioned meats. The meats are slowly simmered for several hours in a “Sauce” made with tomatoes, minced onions, and garlic. I generally like to make my Sunday Sauce Gravy with  Sausages, Meatballs, and Pork Ribs. Other times I’ll make it with Sausage, Meatballs, and Braciole.  An old tradition in some families is that mother or Grandma would start the Sauce early on a Sunday morning, get all the ingredients in the pot and start the Gravy simmering away for a couple hours on top of the stove, then put it in the oven for a couple hours while everyone goes to Church. When you get back home, the Sauce would be ready, “ready to be devoured that is!”

   Our family would usually start our Sunday meal with the most traditional Italian-American-Antipasto of roast  peppers,  Salami, Olives, Celery, and  Provolone.  After that, it’s on to the Main Event of Maccheroni and Sunday Sauce, a dish which is something so Blissfully and Pleasurably Sublime, that it is almost “Sinful.” Yes it is.

   When a meal centered around a Sunday Sauce is announced, one can have visions of Blissful Ecstasy at thoughts of eating Pasta laden with Italian Sausages, Savory Meatballs, Beef Braciola, and succulent Pork Ribs. All this has been slowly simmered to culinary perfection. Yes just the thoughts can enrapture one into a delightful frenzy of the “Most Blissful Feelings” of smelling, seeing, and consuming all the ingredients, the Sausages, Meatballs and Gravy. Yes a Sunday Sauce can and does have such effects on one’s mind, body,  and soul. And, I do not want to sound prejudice, but this is pure fact, it is the Male of the Italian-American species who Love The Sunday Sauce in all its form, far more than the female sex.  True! Meatballs too! And Italian-American men and boys Love and hold oh-so-dear, their Meatballs, Sunday Sauce, Sausage & Peppers,  and Meatball Parm Sandwiches.

Daniel Bellino-Zwicke    

FRANK

dbe13-screenshot2014-03-04at1-11-56pm

SIGNATURE That IS !!!!

MEATBALLS

e1cb7-screenshot2014-04-15at1-18-44pm

“MANGIA BENE” !!!