South Philly Review

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Christmas falls on Sunday, the traditional day for Italian-Americans to make gravy. I have watched men and women of all ages lovingly prepare big pots of this tasty staple. Some add pork ribs, a veal shank, sausages and meatballs to the simmering tomato sauce.

Since my Italian-American friends, who hail from Southern Italy, feast on any number of fish dishes on Christmas Eve, I thought it would be a fine idea to share a recipe for authentic tomato gravy.

I enlisted the aid of Theresa Belfiore, nee Avallone, who arrived in my home kitchen with her arms laden with fresh ingredients. What makes this gravy different from all others?

Avallone Tomatoes.

Nearly two years ago, Theresa and her son, Stephen, decided to can Jersey Fresh tomatoes and sell them online and in stores. Theresa decided to can the tomatoes as a birthday gift for her brother Frankie Avalon.

“He really has everything,” she said of her big brother. “We have a poster with a photograph of our mother Mary and decided to use it for our label.”

When I spoke with Theresa on the phone she told me emphatically “I am not a chef. I don’t cook from recipes. I cook by taste and feel.”

I put on some coffee and we set out to make gravy. Theresa uses sweet sausage and forms meatballs using a mixture of ground beef, pork and veal, which you can find in any supermarket.

I always use San Marzano tomatoes, so I could not wait to taste Avallone Tomatoes, which, by the way, carry the “Jersey Fresh” logo on the label. I opened a 28-ounce can, dipped in a spoon and swooned over the rich ripe tomato flavor Jersey farmers capture when growing their crop year after year.

Theresa and her famous brother grew up in South Philadelphia. Although Frankie, who is just 13 months older than his sister, graduated from South Philadelphia High, 2101 S. Broad St., Theresa went to Edward Bok Technical High School, 1901 S. Ninth St., and married when she was 20.

“I moved to Cherry Hill nearly 40 years ago,” she said. “We always loved music in our house because my father taught himself how to play the piano, guitar and drums. I don’t play an instrument, but I love to sing.”

I pulled out my big, red Le Creuset pot and arranged a mise en place for Theresa.

“I’m your sous chef, you tell me exactly what you want me to do,” I said.

I heated olive oil in my pot and added the sausage to brown while Theresa chopped a large onion. Once the sausage was browned, she added the onion and chopped fresh garlic. We added the tomatoes, fresh chopped basil and dried oregano to the pot and simmered it for about 20 minutes. Then we set out to make the meatballs.

“I prefer them soft,” Theresa said as she mixed the ingredients together in a big, stainless steel bowl.

As we prepared the mixture, Theresa told me her son, Stephen, loves to cook.

“He makes his own pasta. None of us are picky eaters. We eat everything,” she said.

As the gravy simmered, I learned Tanya, her 18-year-old granddaughter, is in college and found it fun to cook with Stephen in their Cherry Hill home. I’ve never made fresh pasta, but my instincts tell me he would be a great teacher.

Theresa Belfiore’s Gravy