Ingredients

makes about 3 1/2 cups, enough to dress 6 servings of pasta

　　3 pounds ripe fresh plum tomatoes, peeled and seeded (see page 9), or one 35-ounce can peeled Italian tomatoes, seeded and lightly crushed, with their liquid

　　1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil

　　1 small onion, chopped (about 1/2 cup)

　　1/4 cup finely shredded peeled carrots

　　1/4 cup finely chopped celery, including leaves

　　4 fresh bay leaves, or 2 dried bay leaves

　　Salt

　　Crushed hot red pepper

　　

Step 1

Pass the tomatoes through a food mill fitted with the fine disc. Heat the oil in a 2- to 3-quart nonreactive saucepan over medium heat. Stir in the onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until wilted, about 3 minutes. Add the carrots and celery and cook, stirring occasionally, until golden, about 10 minutes.

　　

Step 2

Add the food-milled tomatoes and the bay leaves and bring to a boil. Season lightly with salt and crushed red pepper. Bring to a boil, lower the heat so the sauce is at a lively simmer, and cook, stirring occasionally, until thickened, about 45 minutes. Remove the bay leaves. Taste and season with salt and red pepper if necessary.

　　From Lidia's Italian-American Kitchen by Lidia Matticchio Bastianich Copyright © 2001 by A La Carte Communications and Tutti a Tavola, LLC. Published by arrangement with Alfred A. Knopf, an imprint of The Knopf Doubleday Publishing Group, a division of Penguin Random House LLC.Buy the full book from Amazon.