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Sauces and Condiments
(Salse e Condimenti)

Fresh Tomato Sauce/Salsa fresca di pomodoro

Bread Crumbs and Hot Chile Peppers/Mollica di pane e peperoncini

Emilia-Romagna–Style Green Herb Sauce/Salsa verde all’Emiliana

“Troppe salse vivande false.”
“Too much sauce ruins the dish.”
—Italian proverb

This chapter contains simple, straightforward sauces that are used to dress everything from grilled and sautéed vegetables to piping-hot pasta and gnocchi. Some of them, like the Emilia-Romagna–Style Green Herb Sauce, add an elegant, Italian touch to pan-fried chicken, veal, or fish fillets.

Historically, sauces have been used in Italy since before the Romans. The garum (fish sauce) that the Romans ate, however, had more in common with Asian fish sauces than with the ubiquitous tomato sauce that most people associate with Italy. It may be hard to believe, but prior to the 18th century, tomato sauce was not served in Italy; the tomato was native to the Americas and was not introduced to Italy until the 16th century. In the days before tomato sauce, pasta was dressed with sauces like Bread Crumbs and Hot Chile Peppers and Garlic and Oil in the south, and basil pesto and béchamel sauce in northern regions.

Spaghetti with tomato sauce is probably the most recognizable “Italian” food on the planet. But this relatively “new” invention didn’t make it to northern Italy until after 1860, when Italy became unified. It is said that when Italian general Giuseppe Garibaldi first ate this sauce at Melito di Porto Salvo in Calabria, he made his soldiers bring the recipe north. Since then, the classic recipe has held a special place in the culinary bloodline of all Italians, regardless of their provincial origins.

The quantity of sauce that you use is just as important as the type of sauce in the Italian kitchen. No one wants pasta that’s drowning in a sauce. Sauces should be used to coat pasta and other ingredients. Their main function is to bind ingredients together and heighten flavor while introducing another texture to the dish and highlighting seasonal produce. The pairing of sauces with the correct pasta shapes and then pairing those pasta dishes with appropriate second courses is also important. Sauces such as Bread Crumbs and Hot Chile Peppers, Garlic and Oil, and pesto and béchamel sauces pair best with first courses when the second course will contain a tomato-based sauce. On the other hand, if you are serving Fresh Tomato Sauce on pasta for a first course, the second course should not contain a tomato-based sauce. Roasted or grilled poultry, meat, or seafood would be a better match.

Fresh Tomato Sauce
(Salsa fresca di pomodoro)

Serves: 4 | Serving Size: 1/2 cup
Prep Time: 10 minutes | Cooking Time: Approximately 25 minutes

The first recorded evidence of tomatoes in Italy dates back to 1548—they’re definitely not one of the oldest traditional ingredients! Despite the fact that it is a relatively “new” addition to the Italian diet, the pomodoro (tomato) now holds one of the most prestigious places on the Italian table. Fresh tomato sauce is one of the pillars of the Italian kitchen. From this sauce, more elaborate sauces, soups, stews, pizzas, parmigianas, and more can be made.

Making a fresh tomato sauce is the best way to take advantage of the summer tomato harvest—and it’s a healthier alternative to using store-bought sauces. Prepared tomato sauces are usually full of preservatives, sugar, and sodium. Try making large batches of this sauce and freezing or canning the excess so that you’ll have fresh, homemade sauce on hand all year long. If good-quality fresh tomatoes are not available, substitute approximately 24 ounces of good-quality jarred or boxed strained Italian tomatoes.

10–12 fresh plum tomatoes (approximately 2–2 1/2 pounds)
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
3 cloves garlic, finely chopped
Pinch crushed red chile flakes
1/8 teaspoon unrefined sea salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh basil or parsley, or a combination

1. Peel the tomatoes by scoring the skin of each one with a sharp knife from the top about 1/4 of the way down, in an “x” pattern. Then place scored tomatoes in a pot full of boiling water and boil until their skins begin to crack, approximately 2 minutes.

2. Remove tomatoes and plunge into ice-cold water. When tomatoes are cool enough to touch, peel them. If you want a chunky sauce, dice the tomatoes, and set them aside. If you want a smooth sauce, pass the tomatoes through a food mill to create a seedless purée.

3. Heat the olive oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. When it is hot, add the garlic and crushed red chile flakes. Cook just until the garlic begins to release its aroma.

4. Add the tomatoes, salt, pepper, and basil and/or parsley. Stir well to combine, cover, and reduce heat to low. Simmer for 20 minutes.

5. Serve sauce immediately or allow to cool to room temperature before storing. This sauce will keep in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 1 week, or in the freezer for 1 month.

Italian Living Tradition

Many people debate whether or not a little bit of sugar should be added to tomato sauce at the end of cooking. There are many factors that will influence the overall sweetness of your tomato sauce: the ripeness of the tomatoes, how long you cook the garlic, the sweetness of the basil, and how rapidly the sauce cooks. If you prefer a sweeter taste to your sauce, it is imperative to choose the tastiest tomatoes. Additional sweetness can be coaxed out of tomatoes by roasting them in a 425°F oven for approximately 20 minutes prior to using. It is also important not to let the garlic change color while cooking—the darker garlic gets, the more acrid the taste it imparts to a recipe. Look for the tiniest, dark-green basil leaves possible (homegrown basil is best). And allow the sauce to cook slowly and steadily for the desired amount of time to ensure the sweetest flavor and best taste possible.

Choices/Exchanges 2 Vegetable, 1 Fat

Bread Crumbs and Hot Chile Peppers
(Mollica di pane e peperoncini)

Serves: 10 | Serving Size: Approximately 1 1/2 tablespoons
Prep Time: 5 minutes | Cooking Time: 3 minutes

Long before tomatoes flavored so many Italian recipes, toasted fresh bread crumbs were used as a condiment. As simple as they may be, the golden, oil-infused bits of bread do wonders to elevate even the most humble ingredients. Try serving this “sauce” over hot pasta or vegetables with grated pecorino Romano cheese over the top.

1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
3/4 cup Fresh Bread Crumbs
2 tablespoons crushed red chile flakes
1/4 cup sun-dried tomatoes, diced

1. In a large skillet, heat olive oil over medium-high heat. Add the bread crumbs, crushed red chilies, and sun-dried tomatoes. Sauté until they begin to change color and release their aroma, about 3 minutes.

Italian Living Tradition

Many traditional Italian pasta dishes are dressed in a light condiment like this olive oil, bread crumb, and sun-dried tomato combination instead of heavy sauces. In addition to this recipe, sautéed bread crumbs are often combined with fresh anchovies and parsley. In Sicily, this dish is known as Pasta con la mollica (pasta with crumbs).

Choices/Exchanges 2 Fat

Garlic and Oil
(Aglio e olio)

Serves: 4 | Serving Size: 1 tablespoon
Prep Time: 1 minute | Cooking Time: 3 minutes

Preparing Garlic and Oil and serving it with spaghetti is the Italian equivalent of fixing a peanut butter and jelly sandwich in the U.S. It’s made because it’s quick and satisfying, not because of its creative appeal. While it’s not flashy, the combination of olive oil, garlic, chile flakes, and parsley is one of the most nutrient-packed condiments you could ever treat your body to. In addition to pasta, try serving this sauce over vegetables and fish.

1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
8 cloves garlic, minced
1/4 teaspoon crushed red chile flakes
1/4 cup finely chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
1/8 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

1. Heat olive oil in a large, wide skillet over medium heat. Add garlic and chile flakes, and cook just until they release their aroma. Add parsley and pepper, and stir. Serve by tossing into hot pasta or with fresh vegetables.

Italian Living Tradition

The ancient combination of garlic and oil is so ubiquitous to the Italian kitchen that it is often taken for granted. Having said that, the great flavor and nutritional benefits of this combination make it one of my favorites. I often choose garlic and oil over more expensive and intricate pairings. The secret to garlic recipes is to cook the garlic just until it releases its aroma—and not a moment longer. This ensures that the garlic is fragrant and sweet. If you allow the garlic to turn brown, it gives off a bitter flavor and completely overwhelms, rather than complements, the recipe.

Choices/Exchanges 1 1/2 Fat

Emilia-Romagna–Style Green Herb Sauce
(Salsa verde all’Emiliana)

Serves: 8 | Serving Size: 2 tablespoons
Prep Time: 5 minutes (plus overnight refrigeration) | Cooking Time: 0 minutes

The region of Emilia-Romagna is known as la grassa, or “the fat one,” because of its rich cuisine. In fact, Bolognese sauce, Prosciutto di Parma DOP (Denominazione di origine protetta/Protected Designation of Origin), and delicious griddle breads known as piadine all come from this region. Once you scratch beneath the surface, however, you will find many healthful recipes that the locals eat on a daily basis to stay in shape. This traditional condiment, used for boiled and grilled meats and leftover meatloaf, is one of them. Some versions of this sauce call for leftover stale bread instead of the hard-boiled egg yolks. Note that this sauce must be made a day in advance in order to allow the flavors to develop.

2 hard-boiled egg yolks
1 clove garlic, minced
3 cups flat-leaf parsley leaves
2 oil-packed anchovy fillets, drained well
1 tablespoon capers, rinsed and drained
2 pickled green peperoncini, rinsed and finely chopped
2–3 tablespoons red wine vinegar
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil (preferably first cold-pressed)
1/2 red or yellow bell pepper, cored, seeded, and diced finely
1/8 teaspoon unrefined sea salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

1. Combine egg yolks, garlic, parsley, anchovy fillets, capers, peperoncini, and vinegar into a food processor, and pulse on and off until ingredients are finely chopped. Remove the center spout from food processor and slowly pour in the olive oil with the processor still running.

2. Remove mixture to a bowl. Stir in the bell pepper, taste, and season with salt and pepper. Cover and refrigerate overnight. Bring to room temperature before serving.

Italian Living Tradition

Condiments like this one, which were originally made to dip leftover meats into, also make great marinades. Try marinating your favorite chicken or kabob recipe in this sauce (minus the bell peppers) for an hour before grilling.

Choices/Exchanges 2 Fat