My grandmother,
Cesha, is a hell of a cook. And her sauce is legendary in my family. It is simple in appearance - smooth and seedless - but has a robust flavor. It is perfect in lasagna, atop a bowl of meatballs, or as Vivek prefers, by the spoonful. It took me several failed attempts to master it. I have tweaked a few things along the way and although I don't think mine will ever taste as good as Cesha's, I think this version is pretty close.
Be sure to use the best ingredients you can afford; especially the tomatoes. The ladies in my family swear by
Cora, but I can't find them in my neighborhood so I use
Sclafani.
Cesha's SauceIngredients1/4 c olive oil
4 cloves of garlic, peeled
2 cans of whole peeled Roma tomatoes
1/2 medium yellow onion
1 forkful of capers plus 1 spoonful of the juice
4-5 fresh basil leaves (or a sprinkle of dried)
Splash of
sweet vermouthFresh ground pepper
Serves 4 - 6DirectionsIn a medium pot, heat oil over medium-high heat. Toss in garlic cloves and cook until browned. Remove garlic and set aside. Turn off heat and remove pot from burner. Let the oil cool completely, then put the food mill on top of the pot and mill tomatoes until you can't squeeze any more juice out of them. Remove food mill and turn heat on high. Using a garlic press, press garlic cloves into sauce. Add onion (whole, not chopped), capers, caper juice, basil, and vermouth. Add pepper to taste. I don't use any salt as the tomatoes and capers are salty on their own. Bring sauce to a boil, then let simmer uncovered for 1 hour. Sauce will reduce and thicken. Pour over your favorite pasta (I had Gnocchi this time) and top with lots of freshly grated cheese.
Mangia!
And someone needs to try the homemade espresso marshmallows.
