DeFalco's Authentic Italian Tomato Sauce

Anonymous

Great basic beginner recipe. <br /><br />If you want to take it to the next level, Start the sauce, or any other dishes, with a Saffritto. Don't confuse the Spanish variation with the Italian Saffritto. <br /><br />Saffritto is used as a base in many home cooked Italian dishes. My mother taught me to always add it into any SLOW cooked family dish, including her Country Pork Rib Tomato Sauce (she called it like most 1st Italian Americans did "Gravy". A sauce to them was quick Marinara, not a slow cooked meat sauce). <br /><br /> Soffritto is finely minced carrots, onions, celery cooked in a heavy bottom saute pan. A sharp chef knife is needed. Don't chopped the veggies with a food processor. They will come out too mushy. Add garlic toward the end, along with any delicate herbs you wish to add. <br /><br />Cook over low heat with extra virgin olive oil. Saute for a good 15 to 20 until the vegetables are slightly transparent, soft, and with little to no liquid left (I like having some olive oil left to add flavor in my pork rib sauce) Add more olive oil if needed during cooking. You don't want it to dry up. I'm sure there are more in depth recipes online. <br /><br />Also, look up country style pork ribs Italian sauce. The ribs fall of the bone &amp; the meat is delicious. If you can't find one... Here: brown the pork in a pan, but don't cook in the pan. Just brown. They will cook in your sauce. Add them to your sauce that has your Saffritto in it. Simmer, uncovered, on low &amp; slow for 2 to 3 hours. Stir often so sauce doesn't stick to bottom of stock pot. This sauce should be thickish. When tomatos break down your sauce could thin out. It should thicken up as it slowly cooks, but I always add, at midway through, 2 tablespoons of tomato paste to thicken &amp; add flavor.<br /><br />I am not a chef. I'm in my 60's &amp; grew up with home Italian cooking my entire life. My tip .. is don't rush any slow cook Italian dish. Give yourself half a day of leisure has you prep &amp; cook Italian meals (doing some chopping &amp; prepping the day before is ALWAYS helpful). <br />Now... Mangia come un Italiano. <br />