This recipe is a variation of my family's tomato sauce that came from my grandmother’s long-time neighbor Mrs. Andreoli from Abruzzo, Italy. The new version came about when I had a bunch of Roma tomatoes that I knew I had to do something with or they would spoil. I had read that roasting tomatoes intensifies their flavor and cuts some of the acidity of fresh tomatoes; likewise, I read that roasting garlic sweetens it. So I started with a basic marinara sauce (ref. Marcella Hazan, Essentials of Classic Italian Cooking, 1992), and added the pancetta, sausage, and roasted tomatoes. The very pleasing result is a flavorful tomato sauce that is not so acidic that you have to add sugar but is full of rich, ripe umami-laden tomato goodness. For a vegetarian version of the sauce leave out the pancetta and sausage. Leftover sauce and sausage will keep in the fridge for a few days or can be frozen for up to 3 months in the freezer. Buon appetito!

Serves up to 6-8

Ingredients:

• 2+ tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

• 4 oz. thinly sliced chopped pancetta (1/8-1/4 inch dice)

• 1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes

• 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

• 2 tablespoons tomato paste

• 10 cloves garlic

• 1 medium onion peeled and cut in half

• 1+ tablespoon dried basil

• 1+ tablespoon dried thyme

• 1 bay leaf

• 12 roasted Roma tomatoes

• 1 28 ounce can peeled San Marzano tomatoes with juices, broken up and crushed

• 1 cup dry red wine

• Kosher salt

• 1 pound mixed of sweet and/or hot Italian sausage

Roast the Tomatoes:

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees and line a sheet pan with foil.
1. Cut the tomatoes in half lengthwise and place them cut side up on the sheet pan; drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with salt, pepper, dried basil, and dried thyme. (Note: if you have fresh sprigs of thyme, strip 3-4 sprigs and sprinkle over the tomatoes.)
2. Peel 10 cloves of garlic and drizzle them with olive oil and sprinkle them on the sheet pan with the tomatoes.
3. Place the sheet pan in the oven and roast for 50-60 minutes or until the tomatoes are well-slumped.

Make the Sauce:

1. Heat oil in a large heavy skillet over medium heat. Add pancetta and sauté until crisp and golden, about 4 minutes; remove from skillet and set aside.

2. In the same skillet, working in batches, brown the sausage on all sides; remove and set aside with the pancetta. (Note: if you are using both sweet and hot sausage, you might want to cut the sausages into different sizes (eg. hot, longer; sweet, shorter pieces) so your guests can choose hot or sweet.

3. Add the tomato paste to the skillet and stir until slightly caramelized.

4. Add the crushed canned tomatoes to the skillet and stir to mix with the caramelized tomato paste.

5. Add the onion, red wine, pepper flakes, black pepper, 2 teaspoons of basil, two teaspoons of thyme, and a bay leaf and stir to mix. (Note if you have fresh basil, you can add 3 sprigs of fresh basil at this time.)

6. Simmer the sauce over low heat until the tomatoes have finished roasting.

7. Once the tomatoes are roasted, working in two batches if necessary, dump the tomatoes and garlic into a food processor and process until chunky.

8. Add the processed roasted tomatoes and garlic to the sauce and stir to mix.

9. Add the browned pancetta and sausage and simmer for an additional 30-40 minutes.

10. Remove the onion and sprigs of basil from the simmering marinara and reserve a cup of sauce to dress the pasta after you drain it.

Cook the Spaghetti and Serve:

• While the sauce finishes simmering, bring a large pot of salted (1 teaspoon) water to a boil and cook the spaghetti rigati (1 lb. box for 4 people), stirring occasionally, until al dente. (about 6-7 minutes)

• Drain the pasta, reserving 1 cup pasta cooking liquid, and return pasta to pot over medium-low heat.

• Spoon reserved 1 cup of sauce over pasta and toss to coat. Add pasta cooking liquid, 1/4 cup at a time, as needed to loosen the sauce and coat pasta. (You might no need to use the full cup of pasta liquid.)

• Divide pasta among plates and top with remaining sauce; serve with sausages and extra sauce on the side.

• Sprinkle with Parmesan and fresh basil (optional)

A full-bodied red wine compliments this recipe. Try a Chianti, a Sangiovese, Zinfandel, Spanish Tempranillo, or Cabernet Sauvignon.

*Note: you can make the sauce a day ahead and refrigerate overnight. Bring the sauce to a simmer while you cook your pasta.

**For a good primer on the differences between styles of Italian tomato sauces, I recommend Lidia’s Italian Table by Lidia Bastianich, William Morrow, and Company, 1998.