Our nana was a second-generation Italian American who lived in Billerica, Massachusetts. Whenever you walked through her door, the aromas of this red sauce filled your nose with anticipation. Every time, no matter what time of day. She could be making meatballs, sausages, lasagna, or manicotti. Anyway, this sauce was the gravy, the glue that held everything together—sometimes, it held the family together, too! It’s a simple sauce, but you can’t just throw everything in a pot. That would make a stew or a fresh Pomodoro sauce. To make this classic, slow-simmered red sauce recipe, you have to build layers of flavor one by one. Follow these steps and you’ll always have a great sauce to hold together whatever dish you are making.