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Readers Respond: What do you call the stuff that goes over pasta?

Responses: 33

By , About.com Guide

From the article: Pasta:
A while back Jennifer wrote to ask:

"I was witness to a heated discussion at my brother's dinner table last evening. We were raised that it is sauce; my sister-in-law was raised calling it gravy. I've spoken with Italians who have called it sauce, and some who have referred to it as gravy. Is it a regional thing? Is it gravy when it is cooked with meat? (I've received that explanation). Please advise and potentially stop a divorce from occurring." Sauce, Gravy... ?

Sauce V Gravy

I'm 100% Italian and grew up in Western Ma. My grandparents were all from Italy. We always called it sauce! First time I heard somebody call it gravy was an inlaw from New Jersey and then during a Soprano episode. I'd guess it is regional based on the above.
—Colombo777

GRAVY

I THINK THE "STUFF" THAT GOES OVER PASTA IS "GRAVY." AND I THINK THIS IS A REGIONAL THING.I'M FROM PHILLY AND EVERYONE THERE AND IN SOUTH JERSEY SAYS "GRAVY" TOO. EITHER WAY..MAKE IT GOOD AND IT DOESN'T MATTER WHAT YOU CALL IT....IT CALLS YOU TO THE TABLE.
—Guest phillyliv

I'm not Italian but...

Most Italians that I know call it sauce. I don't think it really matters because whether you call it sauce or gravy, it still ends up being the same thing when you look at it.
—Guest Danni

Ragu

my family is from naples italy and the sauce that is being referred to, that is the "sunday dinner" sauce originated in naples...its called ragu which does not translate to sauce or gray...ive been to naples several time and over there its called ragu =)
—Guest Brad

sauce

sauce is for pasta ,save the gravy for a thanksgiving turkey...next year
—Guest amy

sauce

sauce goes over pasta, save the gravy for thanksgivng turkey mmm! mmm!
—Guest mystery person

Sauce or Gravy?

Made with meat, it is meat sauce, meatless, it is tomato sauce. Drippings thickened with water and flour becomes gravy.
—Guest Ruth

HOPEFULLY YOU CAN CALL IT GOOD~!

Here in Northern/Central California, where Hundreds and Hundreds of Italians emigrated to, I have heard it mostly called sauce(including my family and most relatives and friends of Italian descendants) but, also have heard it called gravy and sugo a few times as well. I think most importantly, it has to be called good!
—Guest TONY

sauce

I grew up in Brooklyn and it was called sauce. Some of my friends called it gravy. You want an argument ask who puts cheese on fish sauce.
—Phyllyd

it's RAGU if you want to get Italian...

But - I suppose it would translate to Gravy for all you Mericans!
—Guest Pasqual

It's sauce...even gravy can be sauce

my wife is from Sicilia, she says sauce for pasta, meat sauce, vegetable sauce, cheese sauce. Gravy is made from the pan drippings of cooked meat, if put on pasta it becomes sauce.
—juoquino

>SUGO

the italians i know..here and in italy..call it sugo< you guys who've called it what you will..is fine..but for heavans sake..do'nt argue about it..just sit and eat..!
—Guest richard j. manzi

sauce or gravy

Sauce is something that you make on it's own. A gravy is something that you make when you use the drippings of a cooked meat as one of the ingredients.
—Guest jamie

I call it Gravy

Its a regional thing. My mother's parents are both from Italy and we call it Gravy. I think growing in and outside of Philadelphia in a mainly Italian neighborhood Gravy is much more common. Going to southern states they have no idea what you mean when you say Gravy. I think of it as if I spend hours making it and it has a ton of meat then its gravy but if its something you take out of a jar you can call that anything you want!!
—Guest Annamaria

what?

I NEVER heard it called gravy, not only am I 100 percent italian, but grew up in an italian speaking neighborhood. It must be from certain areas as a dialect or something.
—Guest MGD3

Sauce, Gravy... ?

What do you call the stuff that goes over pasta?

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