Skinny Italian Part 5

There are a few ways to break your tomatoes. (One way not to do it is to chop the tomatoes on your chopping board-what a freakin' mess!) You could pulse the contents of the can in a food processor until the tomatoes are coa.r.s.ely chopped. Or, you can insert clean kitchen scissors into the can and snip the tomatoes into chunks.

But the easiest way is the time-honored, hands-on method. With one hand, hold the can right over the saucepan, so when the juices squirt, they hit the sides of the pan and not you. Reach your other (clean) hand right into the can (make sure there aren't any sharp edges from removing the lid), and as you pour the tomatoes and the juices into the saucepan, squish and squeeze the chunks as they slide out.

BASIC T TOMATO S SAUCE, AKA AKA "T "THE Q QUICKIE"

MAKES ABOUT 3 CUPS, ENOUGH FOR 1 POUND OF PASTA1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oilOne 28-ounce can imported Italian plum tomatoes, broken up, with their juices cup tomato paste2 tablespoons chopped fresh basil or 2 teaspoons dried basil 1. Heat the oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add the tomatoes and their juices and the tomato paste. Bring just to a boil. Heat the oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add the tomatoes and their juices and the tomato paste. Bring just to a boil.

2. Reduce the heat to medium-low and add the basil. Simmer to blend the flavors, about 10 minutes. The end. Reduce the heat to medium-low and add the basil. Simmer to blend the flavors, about 10 minutes. The end.

Sauces to Cry ForNow that you have a true tomato sauce, you are ready to make dozens of delicious sauces. I'm going to give you my family recipes for five tomato saucebased cla.s.sics-Marinara, Bolognese, Puttanesca, Napoletano, and Arrabbiata-but you'll soon discover you can create your own signature sauce with a good tomato sauce and your favorite seasonings. I'm naming the sauces after my kids, because my kids are gorgeous and delicious, and I could just eat them up.

MILANIA'S M MARINARA S SAUCE MAKES ABOUT 3 CUPS, ENOUGH FOR 1 POUND OF PASTA.

Marinara sauce is what most people think of as the cla.s.sic Italian red spaghetti sauce. And it is great over spaghetti, but you can use it over any pasta. It's nice and light, and super healthy, so enjoy your spaghetti guilt-free!

1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil12 cremini mushrooms, sliced1 medium onion, finely chopped2 garlic cloves, minced3 cups "The Quickie" Tomato Sauce (see page 117 page 117) cup hearty red wine1 teaspoons dried oregano teaspoon salt teaspoon freshly ground black pepper or crushed hot red pepper 1. Heat the oil in a large saucepan over medium-high heat. Add the mushrooms and cook, stirring often, until they are beginning to brown, about 5 minutes. Move the mushrooms to one side of the saucepan. Add the onion to the empty side of the saucepan and cook, stirring the onion occasionally, until it softens, about 2 minutes. Add the garlic, stir everything together, and cook until the onion is tender, about 2 minutes more. Heat the oil in a large saucepan over medium-high heat. Add the mushrooms and cook, stirring often, until they are beginning to brown, about 5 minutes. Move the mushrooms to one side of the saucepan. Add the onion to the empty side of the saucepan and cook, stirring the onion occasionally, until it softens, about 2 minutes. Add the garlic, stir everything together, and cook until the onion is tender, about 2 minutes more.

2. Stir in the tomato sauce, wine, oregano, salt, and pepper and bring to a simmer. Reduce the heat to medium-low. Simmer, uncovered, stirring occasionally, until the sauce is thickened and well flavored, at least 30 minutes and up to 4 hours, but the longer the better! If the sauce gets too thick, add a little water. Serve hot, as a pasta sauce. Stir in the tomato sauce, wine, oregano, salt, and pepper and bring to a simmer. Reduce the heat to medium-low. Simmer, uncovered, stirring occasionally, until the sauce is thickened and well flavored, at least 30 minutes and up to 4 hours, but the longer the better! If the sauce gets too thick, add a little water. Serve hot, as a pasta sauce.

Sauce of the Sailors"Marinara": it sounds so good, I almost wish it were a girl's name because I'd use it! But it's not. "Marinara" is from the Italian word marinaro, which means "of the sea."Marinara sauce was first favored by the sailors in Naples in the sixteenth century and so it was named "the sauce of the sailors."The ships' cooks loved it because as a tomato-based sauce without any meat or seafood in it, it could last for long voyages without needing refrigeration (which, of course, they didn't have on boats back then).

GABRIELLA'S B BOLOGNESE S SAUCE MAKES ABOUT 6 CUPS, ENOUGH FOR 2 POUND OF PASTATeresa'sT I PTo save time, use a food processor to chop, dice, and mince your vegetables and meats.

Bolognese sauce is a meat-based sauce originally from Bologna, Italy. It traditionally uses less tomato sauce than other recipes (especially a marinara), and at least two different kinds of ground meat ("minced meat" to the rest of the world). I like it best over cavatelli pasta (the pasta that looks like little hot dog buns), but any pasta that can grab onto the sauce is good.

I make this sauce for Dina Manzo all the time. She's like one of those carnivores who has to have meat at every meal. I love meat, but no one loves meat like Dina. (She's going to kill me for saying that because it sounds all s.e.xy and stuff, but it's the truth. And she is all s.e.xy and stuff.) 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil1 medium onion, chopped carrot, cut into -inch dice celery rib, cut into -inch dice1 garlic clove, minced8 ounces ground pork8 ounces ground veal3 cups "The Quickie" Tomato Sauce (see page 117 page 117)1 cup dry white wine3 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley teaspoon salt teaspoon freshly ground black pepperWhen in Rome . . .Bolognese = bow-lone-YAY-sayNapoletano = nah-pole-lay-TAWN-oh 1. Heat the oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add the onion, carrot, celery, and garlic. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the onion is translucent, about 5 minutes. Heat the oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add the onion, carrot, celery, and garlic. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the onion is translucent, about 5 minutes.

2. Add the pork and veal and cook, breaking up the meat with the side of a spoon, until the meat loses its raw look, about 5 minutes. Add the pork and veal and cook, breaking up the meat with the side of a spoon, until the meat loses its raw look, about 5 minutes.

3. Stir in the tomato sauce, wine, parsley, salt, and pepper and bring to a simmer. Reduce the heat to medium-low. Simmer, uncovered, stirring occasionally, until the sauce is thickened and well flavored, at least 30 minutes and up to 2 hours, the longer the better! Serve hot, as a pasta sauce. Stir in the tomato sauce, wine, parsley, salt, and pepper and bring to a simmer. Reduce the heat to medium-low. Simmer, uncovered, stirring occasionally, until the sauce is thickened and well flavored, at least 30 minutes and up to 2 hours, the longer the better! Serve hot, as a pasta sauce.

GIA'S N NAPOLETANO S SAUCE MAKES ABOUT 5 CUPS, ENOUGH FOR 1 POUNDS OF PASTA.

Like Bolognese, Napoletano is named for the city it comes from: Naples. (You might see it as Neapolitan Sauce in America.) The biggest difference between the two sauces is that Bolognese uses ground meat and less onion and tomato sauce, while Napoletano uses whole meat or meatb.a.l.l.s. Napoletano sauce is typically what Italians serve at their weekend family dinners, and it's also called "Sunday gravy." It would sit on the back of the stove simmering for hours while everyone went to Ma.s.s. When you got home, the smell . . . unbelievable!

You can make this with different meats-Italian sausage and pork shoulder is really popular-but I try to pick healthier meats (and save the sausage for dishes where it's the star!). Some cooks even use chicken. There are hundreds of variations on this recipe, but this one came over from Italy with my mamma, and it's the best.

Teresa'sT I PNapoletano is a great sauce to make ahead of time. And it freezes well, too. Make more than you need, and freeze leftover sauce (meat and all) for future lasagnas, eggplant dishes, even to spread over pizza!1 pounds beef top round steak (about 1/8 inch thick), cut into 4 equal pieces4 pork spareribs, preferably in one piece, but individual ribs are OK1 teaspoons salt teaspoon freshly ground black pepper1/3 cup finely chopped fresh parsley cup freshly grated Pecorino Romano2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil1 medium onion, chopped cup hearty red wine3 cups "The Quickie" Tomato Sauce (see page 117 page 117) 1. Pat the round steak and spareribs dry with paper towels. Season with 1 teaspoon salt and teaspoon pepper. Mix the parsley and Pecorino Romano cheese together in a shallow dish. Pat and rub the cheese mixture into the meats. Pat the round steak and spareribs dry with paper towels. Season with 1 teaspoon salt and teaspoon pepper. Mix the parsley and Pecorino Romano cheese together in a shallow dish. Pat and rub the cheese mixture into the meats.

2. Heat 1 tablespoon of the oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. In batches without crowding, add the meat and cook, turning occasionally, until browned, about 5 minutes. Adjust the heat so the meat browns nicely without burning. You want little chunks stuck to the bottom of the pan, as these will help flavor the sauce. Transfer the meat to a plate. Heat 1 tablespoon of the oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. In batches without crowding, add the meat and cook, turning occasionally, until browned, about 5 minutes. Adjust the heat so the meat browns nicely without burning. You want little chunks stuck to the bottom of the pan, as these will help flavor the sauce. Transfer the meat to a plate.

3. Heat the remaining oil in the saucepan. Add the onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until translucent, about 5 minutes. Increase the heat to high and add the wine. Cook, stirring up the browned chunks in the bottom of the saucepan (the fancy word for this is deglazing; yeah, I didn't know that either). Bring to a boil. Heat the remaining oil in the saucepan. Add the onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until translucent, about 5 minutes. Increase the heat to high and add the wine. Cook, stirring up the browned chunks in the bottom of the saucepan (the fancy word for this is deglazing; yeah, I didn't know that either). Bring to a boil.

4. Stir in the tomato sauce, 1 cup water, and the remaining teaspoon salt and teaspoon pepper. Return the beef and pork to the saucepan and bring to a simmer. Reduce the heat to medium-low. Partially cover the saucepan. Simmer, stirring occasionally, until the meat is very tender, about 1 hours. Stir in the tomato sauce, 1 cup water, and the remaining teaspoon salt and teaspoon pepper. Return the beef and pork to the saucepan and bring to a simmer. Reduce the heat to medium-low. Partially cover the saucepan. Simmer, stirring occasionally, until the meat is very tender, about 1 hours.

5. Remove the meats from the sauce and transfer to a cutting board. Cut the beef into -inch pieces. Cut the meat from the spareribs, discard the bones, and coa.r.s.ely chop the pork. Return the meats to the sauce. Serve hot, as a pasta sauce. Remove the meats from the sauce and transfer to a cutting board. Cut the beef into -inch pieces. Cut the meat from the spareribs, discard the bones, and coa.r.s.ely chop the pork. Return the meats to the sauce. Serve hot, as a pasta sauce.

DANIELLE'S P PUTTANESCA S SAUCE MAKES ABOUT 3 CUPS, ENOUGH FOR 1 POUNDS OF PASTA.

OK, I don't have a daughter named Danielle, but I couldn't name this dish after any one of my darling girls. It's delicious, and very popular in our house, but the name . . . the name . . . First let's cook it, and then I'll tell you why I could only name it for a grown woman.

This sauce is usually poured over spaghetti, but you can use any noodle you want.

2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil3 garlic cloves, minced2 teaspoons anchovy paste teaspoon crushed hot red pepper3 cups "The Quickie" Tomato Sauce (see page 117 page 117) cup pitted and coa.r.s.ely chopped kalamata olives2 tablespoons drained capers 1. Pour the oil into a large saucepan. Add the garlic, anchovy paste, and hot pepper and cook over medium heat, stirring often, until the garlic is very fragrant and beginning to turn golden brown, about 2 minutes. Pour the oil into a large saucepan. Add the garlic, anchovy paste, and hot pepper and cook over medium heat, stirring often, until the garlic is very fragrant and beginning to turn golden brown, about 2 minutes.

2. Stir in the tomato sauce, olives, and capers and bring to a simmer. Reduce the heat to medium-low. Simmer, uncovered, stirring occasionally, until lightly thickened, about 15 minutes. Serve hot, as a pasta sauce. Stir in the tomato sauce, olives, and capers and bring to a simmer. Reduce the heat to medium-low. Simmer, uncovered, stirring occasionally, until lightly thickened, about 15 minutes. Serve hot, as a pasta sauce.

When in Rome . . .Puttanesca = pooh-tah-NES-kah Pasta Puttanesca is a common dish in Italy, where it enjoys an uncommon name: "wh.o.r.e's spaghetti." It was supposedly invented in the 1950s when brothels were owned and run by the Italian government (a way to keep them under control, I guess). The brothels were required to have their shutters closed at all times to shield the good Italian women on the street from having to look at the puttanas, or prost.i.tutes. The "ladies of the evening" were only allowed out for a short amount of time to shop in the local markets, so they had to quickly grab whatever they could. Pasta Puttanesca was their meal of choice because it was cheap and could be made in a jiffy, between customers.

An Italian restaurant owner in the 1950s also claims to have invented the dish for his hungry friends late one night, saying he named it after puttanata, the Italian word for "garbage." In either case, the name fits.

ARRABBIATA, THE A ANGRY S SAUCE.

MAKES ABOUT 3 CUPS, ENOUGH FOR 1 POUNDS OF PASTA.

I'm a pretty laid-back person, but certain things p.i.s.s me off. Pathological puttanas, for one. So now seems like the perfect time to introduce Arrabbiata, the spiciest of Italian sauces.

Now, I like it hot, but if you want to tone it down, only use teaspoon of the red pepper flakes. I like it best over penne, but some people use linguine or spaghetti.

1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil medium onion, chopped4 garlic cloves, finely chopped1 teaspoon crushed hot red pepper3 cups "The Quickie" Tomato Sauce (see page 117 page 117)1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice teaspoon freshly ground black pepper2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley 1. Heat the oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add the onion and garlic and cook, stirring occasionally, until the onion is translucent, about 5 minutes. Stir in the hot pepper. Heat the oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add the onion and garlic and cook, stirring occasionally, until the onion is translucent, about 5 minutes. Stir in the hot pepper.

2. Stir in the tomato sauce, lemon juice, and pepper. Bring to a simmer. Reduce the heat to medium-low. Simmer, uncovered, stirring occasionally, until lightly thickened, at least 15 and up to 40 minutes. The longer it simmers, the hotter the sauce. If the sauce gets too thick, stir in a little water. Just before serving, stir in the parsley. Serve hot, as a pasta sauce. Stir in the tomato sauce, lemon juice, and pepper. Bring to a simmer. Reduce the heat to medium-low. Simmer, uncovered, stirring occasionally, until lightly thickened, at least 15 and up to 40 minutes. The longer it simmers, the hotter the sauce. If the sauce gets too thick, stir in a little water. Just before serving, stir in the parsley. Serve hot, as a pasta sauce.

When in Rome . . .Arrabbiata = ah-rah-BYAH-tahJUICY B BITS FROM FROM Joe JoeArrabbiata is the Italian word for "angry." What's the tie-in with pasta sauce? Maybe your mouth gets mad that the sauce is so hot (well, not my mouth, but maybe your mouth . . . ). is the Italian word for "angry." What's the tie-in with pasta sauce? Maybe your mouth gets mad that the sauce is so hot (well, not my mouth, but maybe your mouth . . . ).Now, this is the first, last, and only time I want to hear anything about The Sopranos, but if any of you remember, Tony gave one of his bodyguards, Perry Annunziata, the nickname "Penne Arrabbiata" because the guy had such a hot temper. So now you're in on the joke. (It was in Season Six if you want to watch it. Good episode.)Have I been called "Joe Arrabbiata" before? Sure. You could easily add "Arrabbiata" to the name of just about every Italian I know-Teresa and all her friends included!

Slow-Cooker Sauce Shortcuts Since most Italian sauces only taste better the longer they simmer, ideally, you should have a saucepan sitting on the back burner pretty much all day long. But for those of us with small children (or a fear of burning down the house), leaving a large, uncovered pot of hot sauce around isn't so practical.

I'm not a big slow-cooker person; I usually only use my Crock-Pot to keep sauces hot when I'm having a party. But they come in super handy when you want to keep a sauce a'simmering.

Just prepare any recipe like you normally would, in a saucepan, until it comes to the simmering stage. Then pour (or ladle, if you tend to be a sloppy pourer like me and don't want a hot mess) the sauce into your slow cooker. Set it, forget it, and you'll have an even better sauce (tucked safely away in the corner of the counter) with half the worry.

Who Is This "Alfredo" and What Has He Done to My Sauce?

Now that we've covered my favorite red sauces, I want to give you the recipes for the best other colored sauces: white and green.

When I ask you to picture a cla.s.sic Italian "white" sauce, I bet you immediately think of the sauce served on fettuccine Alfredo in restaurants across the country. Creamy and white, right? More like gluey, gooey, and a heart attack on a plate! Gagging . . .

Prepare yourself: there is no such thing as Alfredo sauce in Italy. Alfredo is a big, fat, American lie. A lie you're best to forget you ever knew, as there is nothing remotely redeeming about it. It drowns the pasta. It makes your stomach feel like it's filled with cement. I know I'm being harsh on the sauce, and maybe you've enjoyed it before, but stop. Now. It's not Italian, and it's so not healthy. You might as well eat a stick of b.u.t.ter coated in lard, deep-fried in funnel-cake batter . . . with a cigarette.

The true "white" sauce in Italy is known as pasta bianco ("pasta in white") in the southern regions, and pasta al burro ("pasta with b.u.t.ter") in the north. Traditionally, before the tomato was introduced to Italy, cheese was the normal topping of pasta dishes, followed by oils and herbs. b.u.t.ter was also used, although nowhere near as much as people put in their American dishes. An Italian white sauce has nothing in it but cheese, b.u.t.ter, and maybe a little pepper or parsley. Light and delicious.

In 1914, a restaurant owner in Rome, Alfredo di Lelio, supposedly created his own version of the traditional pasta al burro by tripling the amount of b.u.t.ter used. His wife was pregnant at the time and couldn't keep food down (I never had that problem, but I have lots of friends who, no matter how sick they were when they were pregnant, could still manage to eat b.u.t.ter). The extra b.u.t.ter did the trick, his wife started eating again, and Alfredo added his al burro sauce to his menu. Thirteen years later, in 1927, silent film stars Mary Pickford and Douglas Fairbanks ate at the Roman restaurant while on their honeymoon, and they fell in love with the white sauce. The resulting media frenzy (kind of like when Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie are photographed at the McDonald's drive-through) traveled to America, where everyone tried to copy "Alfredo's" sauce. Not able to re-create the creamy b.u.t.ter found in Italy, or find the exact kind of cheese, American cooks added cream, extra b.u.t.ter, and even egg yolks to the sauce, and kindly named the sloppy mess after poor Alfredo. (Don't feel sorry for him, though. He went on to own a bunch of restaurants, even one at Disney World.) I'm going to teach you how to make the delicious pasta al burro, because you just can't eat another serving of the b.a.s.t.a.r.dized version. According to their own nutritional guide, a serving of fettuccine Alfredo at the Olive Garden has 1,220 calories and 75 grams of fat (47 grams of the evilest of all, saturated fat!). Traditional pasta al burro has almost one third of the calories and half the fat content (plus it tastes way better). I'm going to go one better, and give you my own special skinny version.

SKINNY P PASTA AL B BURRO.

MAKES 6 SERVINGS.

The deliciousness of this dish is directly related to the quality of the ingredients you use. Don't think regular Parmesan cheese will cut it. You have to get the best Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese you can find (aged twenty-four months is perfection). You can also use other pastas besides fettuccine. My kids love this with penne (much more fork friendly!).

3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil2 tablespoons unsalted b.u.t.ter, at room temperature1 pound fettuccine, preferably fresh teaspoon salt teaspoon freshly ground black pepperLarge pinch of minced fresh parsley cup (2 ounces) freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano .

1. Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil over high heat. Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil over high heat.

2. Meanwhile, heat the oil and b.u.t.ter together in a large saucepan over medium heat until the b.u.t.ter is melted. Remove from the heat. Meanwhile, heat the oil and b.u.t.ter together in a large saucepan over medium heat until the b.u.t.ter is melted. Remove from the heat.

3. Add the fettuccine to the water and cook according to the package instructions until al dente. Fresh pasta cooks really quickly, so don't overcook it. Drain, reserving about cup of the pasta cooking water. Add the fettuccine to the water and cook according to the package instructions until al dente. Fresh pasta cooks really quickly, so don't overcook it. Drain, reserving about cup of the pasta cooking water.

4. Transfer the fettuccine to the saucepan with the b.u.t.ter mixture. Add the salt, pepper, and parsley. Return the saucepan to low heat. Toss, adding enough of the pasta water to make a glossy sauce that isn't watery or gluey. Remove from the heat, sprinkle with the cheese, and serve immediately. Transfer the fettuccine to the saucepan with the b.u.t.ter mixture. Add the salt, pepper, and parsley. Return the saucepan to low heat. Toss, adding enough of the pasta water to make a glossy sauce that isn't watery or gluey. Remove from the heat, sprinkle with the cheese, and serve immediately.

It's Easy Being Green The last great sauce you need in your recipe box is pesto. The tasty green sauce was invented in the Liguria region of Italy (if you think of Italy as a boot, Liguria is the top front, where you would put your hands to slip it on your foot; basically the northwest coastline).

Ligurians have been making pesto since Roman times, although it only became popular in the United States in the 1980s. The creamy basil and garlic sauce is a big part of the Ligurians' healthy diet. (Ligurians live longer than almost anyone else on the planet, beaten only by the j.a.panese and the Icelanders. With all due respect, I'd much rather eat bread and pesto my whole life than cold fish!) Pesto comes from pestare, the Italian word for "pound" or "bruise." That's because, traditionally, pesto is made with a mortar and pestle (the heavy little bowl and the fun, National Geographiclike stick with a rounded end). Even though you can make pesto in a food processor, the flavors are best if you hand-crush them because you want the basil leaves bruised and juiced, not pureed.

I named this last sauce after my newest baby: Audriana. She's gorgeous, of course, and not the least bit green, but I did feel a little bruised after she came out, so there you go.

AUDRIANA'S P PESTO MAKES 1 CUP, ENOUGH FOR 2 POUNDS OF PASTA.

There are dozens of variations, and you can play around and add your own choice of herbs, nuts, or cheeses. Here's my favorite pesto recipe, fresh from the Italian Riviera.

1/3 cup pine nuts1 cups packed fresh basil leaves, well rinsed and dried in a salad spinner3 garlic cloves, crushed under a knife and peeled2/3 cup extra virgin olive oil cup freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano teaspoon salt1/8 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper 1. Heat a small skillet over medium heat. Add the pine nuts and cook, stirring often, until lightly toasted, 2 to 3 minutes. Transfer to a plate and cool completely. Heat a small skillet over medium heat. Add the pine nuts and cook, stirring often, until lightly toasted, 2 to 3 minutes. Transfer to a plate and cool completely.

2. To make the pes...o...b.. hand, crush a handful of the basil leaves in a large mortar (at least 2-cup capacity), pushing down with the pestle and moving your wrist in a circular movement to squeeze and crush, but not pound, the leaves. Keep adding basil leaves until they have all been crushed. Add the garlic and crush it into the mixture. Gradually work in about half of the oil. Now add the pine nuts, and crush them in. Finally, work in the cheese, then the remaining oil. Season with the salt and pepper. To make the pes...o...b.. hand, crush a handful of the basil leaves in a large mortar (at least 2-cup capacity), pushing down with the pestle and moving your wrist in a circular movement to squeeze and crush, but not pound, the leaves. Keep adding basil leaves until they have all been crushed. Add the garlic and crush it into the mixture. Gradually work in about half of the oil. Now add the pine nuts, and crush them in. Finally, work in the cheese, then the remaining oil. Season with the salt and pepper.

3. To make the pesto in a food processor, fit the processor with the metal chopping blade. With the machine running, drop the garlic through the feed tube to mince the garlic. Add the pine nuts and pulse until finely chopped. Add the basil and pulse until finely chopped. Add the cheese and pulse to combine. With the machine running, gradually pour in the oil. Season with the salt and pepper. To make the pesto in a food processor, fit the processor with the metal chopping blade. With the machine running, drop the garlic through the feed tube to mince the garlic. Add the pine nuts and pulse until finely chopped. Add the basil and pulse until finely chopped. Add the cheese and pulse to combine. With the machine running, gradually pour in the oil. Season with the salt and pepper.

4. Transfer the pesto to a small covered container. Pour a small amount of oil over the surface of the pesto to seal it. Cover and refrigerate for up to 1 month. Stir well before using. Transfer the pesto to a small covered container. Pour a small amount of oil over the surface of the pesto to seal it. Cover and refrigerate for up to 1 month. Stir well before using.

Note: To use the pesto as a sauce for pasta, boil 1 pound of pasta (linguine or spaghetti are nice) according to the package directions until al dente. Drain, reserving cup of the pasta cooking liquid. Return the pasta to the pot. Add cup pesto and toss, adding enough of the pasta liquid to loosen the pesto and coat the pasta. Season again with salt and pepper and serve hot. To use the pesto as a sauce for pasta, boil 1 pound of pasta (linguine or spaghetti are nice) according to the package directions until al dente. Drain, reserving cup of the pasta cooking liquid. Return the pasta to the pot. Add cup pesto and toss, adding enough of the pasta liquid to loosen the pesto and coat the pasta. Season again with salt and pepper and serve hot.

Teresa'sT I PTo save time later, make two batches of pesto at once, and freeze half of it. Pour the pesto into an ice-cube tray, and once the cubes are frozen, pop them out into little zippered freezer bags. That way, they are easier to store, and you always have pesto ready to go. (Especially great when you want to pop some pesto in a great soup!) Sauce vs. Gravy It's a hot debate in the Italian-American community as to whether you call stuff we put over pasta "sauce" or "gravy." There's even a group on Facebook with eight thousand members called "Real Italians call it gravy, not sauce."

As you know, I'm a real Italian, and I can settle this once and for all. Real Italians don't call it either one. The Italians use either the word sugo or salsa. Somewhere during the trip across the Atlantic to our wonderful American melting pot, the words got translated into "sauce" in some households, and "gravy" in others. There's really no difference between the two words. We're all referring to the same thing. It's just a matter of personal preference what you were raised calling it.

Still, I'm always asked which word we say in the Giudice house: sauce or gravy. People especially wanna know since most Italians in New Jersey call it "gravy." Well, in case you couldn't tell from the eighty-five times I used the word in this chapter, we call it "sauce" in my house.

You say tomato. I say tomato. It's all the best topping in the world!

8 - Pizza! Pizza!

Pizza is one of the most loved foods on the planet because it can include all the food groups (and then some!); it fills you up; you can personalize it with what you like (or pick off what you don't); it's good hot or cold, fresh or leftover; it's easy and cheap to make; and it's very transportable. Almost every country in the world has its own version of pizza, even Pakistan. In j.a.pan, they eat eel pizza. They put sweet potatoes on it in Korea. Coconut goes on pies in Costa Rica. And in Australia, I'm not even kidding, they eat their pizza with kangaroo and crocodile on top.

But no one does it like the original creators: the Italians. If you've ever been to Italy, to Naples specifically, and had true, authentic Italian pizza, you know what I'm talking about. If you've never been, Italian pizza is beyond the best; it's like nothing you've ever tasted. It melts in your mouth; it's light and crispy, yet still doughy and chewy. It's mind-blowing. The good news is my parents brought a lot of their pizza secrets back from Salerno, and we're going to teach you how to make the best Italian pizza this side of the Atlantic.

Beware the Mascot with a Fat a.s.s Before we begin, a quick word on what pizza is, or, more importantly, what it isn't. True Italian pizza is a thin, rustic flatbread with fresh toppings on it, very little cheese, and rarely fatty meats. The American version is a little different: it's an orgy of processed cheese, artery-clogging grease, and more bread than you should eat in a month. Yes, it might taste good, but it's not good for you. Even the mascots of American pizza companies are little fat guys. I'm pretty sure I don't want to eat something that advertises right on their neon sign that I'm going to get a fat a.s.s from it. Let me teach you how to make something just as delicious that won't actually take years off your life.

A Brief History of Pie The first thing you must know is pizza was invented in Italy. I don't want to hear any of that garbage about its being invented in China or Greece. Every civilization since Moses has had a flat bread. It's a pretty simple thing to invent, and very good for an age without refrigerators but with plenty of fire. People used to bake dough on hot rocks. Soldiers in ancient Rome cooked flat bread on their shields in the sun. Greeks had the pita. And they did have this green-onion pancake thing in China. But Marco Polo didn't take it back to Italy with him. Italians already had their own flat breads, and, like everywhere else in the world, were covering them with local ingredients.

The modern pizza as we know it (not the American version, but the Italian version) was first created in Naples, as a food peddled to poor people in the streets. Antica Pizzeria Port'Alba in Naples began making pizzas for the street vendors in the early 1700s and finally opened their own restaurant in 1830, the world's first pizzeria. (It's still open, serving pizza today. If you can get there, it is definitely worth it! Madonna mia, is it good!) Even though we call this first modern pizza a Neapolitan pizza, in Naples, they only consider two kinds of pizza to be true Neapolitan: Marinara and Margherita. There's even an a.s.sociation with specific rules about how to make it if you want to call it a Neapolitan pizza: the dough has to be kneaded by hand, no machines or even rolling pins can be used; it has to be baked in a domed, wood-burning oven at a scorching 905F for no more than ninety seconds; and the pizza can't be larger than 13.7 inches in diameter, or thicker than 3 millimeters at the center. Thankfully, I'm not that picky. Let me show you how my parents, Antonia and Giacinto Gorda, made it in the Old World (and how they still make it my kitchen today).

Four Steps to Great Homemade Pizza Just like a good red sauce, you've got to know how to make your own pizza from scratch. This might look like a lot of information, but that's only because I want to give you every single tip for preparing it the first time. Once you've done it, you'll be able to whip up a pie in your kitchen, no problem!

Step 1 Preheating the Pizza Stone Preheating the Pizza Stone At least thirty minutes before you're ready to bake your pizza, place a pizza stone on the lowest rack of your oven, and heat the oven to 475F. (If you don't have a pizza stone, you can cook the pizza on the back of a baking pan, but you don't need to preheat the pan. Only the stone needs to get good and hot.) You can leave the pizza stone in the oven, even if you aren't baking pizza. Just be careful not to spill on the stone, as once it gets dirty, it can smoke and smell up the kitchen. It's a good idea to place the baking dish on a baking sheet to catch any drips.

JUICY B BITS FROM FROM Joe JoeI've been in construction and working with stone from Italy for some years now. And a pizza stone is literally just that: a stone. So, do you need one? It depends. All pizza used to be cooked on stone, so if you're looking for a really good Italian pie with a nice crisp crust, then the pizza stone's the way to go. The stone works because you get it hot in the oven before you put the pizza on it, and the stone has little holes in it, so it can suck out the moisture of the dough and give the crust a nice, crispy bite. There are a couple of "nevers" with pizza stones, though: Never put a cold stone in a hot oven Never put a hot stone in cold water Never use soap or any kind of detergent to clean it; just water and sc.r.a.ping Never think you can just pick up a hot pizza stone with an oven mitt. It's way too hot, and some of 'em are so heavy, you might end up dropping it on your oven door, and then you have a mess. Best just to leave the stone in the oven all the time. Never let your wife talk you into buying an expensive one because a stone is a stone is a stone. Even the cheaper ones will work just fine. And besides, when your wife cooks something goofy on it, like a caramel bread, and burns it into the stone, it's ruined and you have to go buy a new one anyway.

Step 2 Shaping the Dough Shaping the Dough Pizzas should be baked one at a time, so only form the dough when you are ready to cook it. You can roll out the dough with a pin, or toss it in the air, just like a Neapolitan pizza maker.

After the dough is shaped, you'll need to put it down somewhere, put the toppings on it, then slide it into the oven without the pizza falling apart. Some people use a fancy wooden baker's paddle (also called a pizza peel), but you can just as easily use the back of a large baking sheet. Or, you can place the rolled dough onto large sheets of parchment paper. Whatever you're going to use to slide the pizza into the oven, sprinkle that surface with cornmeal. The cornmeal acts like little wheels and will allow your pizzas to slide right onto the stone safely.

To roll out the dough, flatten the ball into a disk on a lightly floured work surface. Dust the top of the dough with flour, and roll it into a 12-inch round.

If you want to try your hand at tossing the dough, dip both sides of your hands in flour, even your knuckles (because that's where the pizza dough will rest). Lift out a dough ball, and place it on a floured surface. Press the dough into a flat disk about inch thick and 5 inches wide. Sprinkle more flour on top of the dough, and now gently pick it up. Make a fist, and place the dough circle on your fist. Now make your other hand into a fist and slide it up next to the first fist, to help pull out the dough. Gently bounce the dough on your knuckles to spread it out. Give it a few tiny tosses, moving your hands apart to propel the dough into a spin. (If the dough keeps springing back and refusing to expand, set it down and let it rest for 10 minutes; then try again.) Keep tossing and spinning the dough until it is about 10 inches across.

Transfer the round of dough to a cornmeal-dusted paddle, baking sheet, or sheet of parchment paper. If the round loses its shape, just reshape it on the paddle. Repeat with the remaining dough.

Teresa'sT I PIf your dough isn't playing nice, and is instead sticking to your hands and refusing to stay in a ball, put the dough in time-out.Leave the dough on the floured surface, and place your empty bowl upside down on top of it. Now walk away and leave it to think about what it did wrong for three to five minutes. When you come back, you'll find the dough to be a lot better behaved.This also works well with kids (minus the bowl thing). Now if only it worked for husbands or boyfriends, right? Or mothers-in-law. Or ex-prost.i.tutes who live around the corner . . .

Step 3 Topping Your Pizza Topping Your Pizza The key to a great Italian pizza is to go light on the toppings. You don't want to overload your precious crust, or pile ingredients on it that will break down and make a soggy mess. You should spread no more than 1/3 cup of sauce over the dough (you should be able to see the crust through it in places). Vegetables can give off lots of juices that will make your pizza soggy, so give them a quick saute first so most of their moisture is evaporated before using as a topping. When you add the ingredients to the top, leave a -inch-wide border around the perimeter of the dough.