Matteo Russo

La cucina è amore — Cooking is love

Featured Recipe

🍝 Nonna's Sunday Sugo

⏱ 45 min prep · 3 hr cook 🍽 Serves 6 ⭐ Difficulty: Medium

Ingredients

Steps

Notes

1 kg San Marzano tomatoes, crushed
4 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil
1 large onion, finely diced
2 tbsp tomato paste
1/2 cup red wine (Chianti)
Fresh basil, large handful
Salt and pepper to taste
Pinch of sugar
Pecorino Romano for serving

1Bloom the garlic. Heat olive oil in a heavy-bottomed pot over medium-low. Add sliced garlic and cook until fragrant but not brown, about 2 minutes.
2Build the base. Add diced onion and cook until translucent, 8-10 minutes. Stir in tomato paste and cook another 2 minutes until darkened.
3Deglaze. Pour in the red wine, scraping up any browned bits. Let it reduce by half, about 3 minutes.
4Simmer. Add crushed tomatoes, basil stems (reserve leaves), salt, pepper, and sugar. Bring to a gentle simmer. Reduce heat to lowest setting.
5Cook low and slow. Let simmer uncovered for 2.5-3 hours, stirring occasionally. The sauce should reduce and deepen to a rich rust red.
6Finish. Remove from heat. Stir in torn basil leaves. Adjust salt. Serve over al dente pasta with generous Pecorino.

From Matteo's kitchen: "The secret is patience. Let the tomatoes speak. If you're in a hurry, make something else. This sauce waits for no one — and it's worth every minute."

Wine pairing: A bold Chianti Classico or a velvety Barbera d'Alba. The wine you cook with should be good enough to drink.

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