Definitely a family heirloom. My husband’s grandmother, “Granny Kate,” would make a pot of this every Sunday for the family’s dinner, serving it with either cavatelli or rigatoni. Her daughter, Annette, carried on the family tradition, delighting us all with her version of her mother’s meat gravy for many years, but the recipe had never been written down. My husband asked Annette to teach me and our daughters how to make it so we can carry the torch for future generations.

Here is the recipe, drawn from copious notes taken by our daughter Iris during that cooking lesson. You can count on this making enough to feed a big, hungry crowd. Don’t forget to pass the Parmigiano-Reggiano—or some Pecorino Romano—at the table.