My Mother was a good cook, She and her younger sister were forced early in their childhood to prepare the family meals when their Mother, worn out after bearing 13 children, became an invalid. I can still remember the sumptuous meals served on Sunday at my Grandparent’s home on West 47th Street in Hells Kitchen.
However, there was never any pasta in the blue willow bowls or any scent of fragrant “gravy” when I entered the railroad flat. There was always a succulent roast, baked ham or on holiday’s a mammoth “bird,” but never any hint of garlic.
I learned about that enticing aroma when a new neighbor moved into our house “uptown” on 58th St. The odors emanating from the flat below ours were unique and often challenged me not to climb higher on the wooden staircase tenants shared.
I learned Mrs, Esposito made “gravy” every Sunday, rain or shine, Her daughter, my friend, Antoinette, said it was “really good” and promised one day to give me a taste. Despite her good intentions, sadly it never happened. That was because the Esposito clan soon departed enticed by the lure of suburbia in Levittown far from our crowded neighborhood.
Years later I read the famed Nora Ephron recipe for pasta sauce and remembered the appealing aroma from the Esposito’s apartment. Immediately, I decided to try Ms. Ephron's version of pasta sauce for my own growing family.
Soon it became a family favorite both for the cook as well as my husband and four children. All of us enjoyed the simple yet delicious dinner,
Now despite a much smaller kitchen with the aid of a Cuisinart chopper and a microwave, I often make a smaller batch of the sauce. I pop an envelope of Barilla Ready Pasta into the microwave, grate a bit of Parmesan and remember the fragrance of Mrs. Esposito’s “Sunday Gravy.” I believe the sauce now falls into the category of a comfort food while bringing back happy memories of meals of yesteryears.
Directions:
Chop 5 large tomatoes into boiling water for one full minute.
Put into large bowl with 1/2 cup olive oil, a garlic clove sliced in two, i cup of chopped fresh basil Leaves. Let sit for a few hours.
Remove the garlic and stir the hot sauce into a bowl of freshly cooked pasta sprinkled with grated cheese.
A small glass of red wine makes the meal even more festive especially on a rainy Sunday.
