Ingredients

　　1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil

　　2 small onions, finely chopped

　　2 garlic cloves, finely chopped

　　2 celery stalks, finely chopped

　　2 carrots, peeled and finely chopped

　　1/2 teaspoon sea salt, plus more to taste

　　1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, plus more to taste

　　2 (32-ounce) cans crushed tomatoes

　　2 dried bay leaves

　　In a large pot, heat the olive oil over medium-high heat. Add the onions and garlic and sauté until the onions are translucent, about 10 minutes. Add the celery, carrots, and salt and pepper. Sauté until all the vegetables are soft, about 10 minutes. Add the tomatoes and bay leaves, and simmer uncovered over low heat until the sauce thickens, about 1 hour. Remove and discard the bay leaves. Season the sauce with more salt and pepper to taste.

　　Reprinted with permission from Giada's Kitchen: New Italian Favorites by Giada De Laurentiis. Copyright © 2008 by Giada De Laurentiis. Published by Crown Publishing Group. All Rights Reserved.Giada De Laurentiis is the star of Food Network's Everyday Italian and Behind the Bash. She attended the Cordon Bleu in Paris, and then worked in a variety of Los Angeles restaurants, including Wolfgang Puck's Spago, before starting her own catering and private-chef company, GDL Foods. The granddaughter of movie producer Dino De Laurentiis, Giada was born in Rome and grew up in Los Angeles, where she now lives.