Matriciana
Serves 4
1 onion
6 rashers lean bacon
500g (1lb) ripe tomatoes
1 red chilli
1 1/2 tablespoon oil

Peel onion, chop finely. Remove ring from bacon, cut bacon into thin strips across. Peel and seed tomatoes, chop roughly. Seed chilli, chop finely. Heat oil in pan, add onion and bacon. Stir over medium heat 5 minutes, until onion is transparent, drain off surplus fat.
Add tomato and chilli, mix well. Simmer sauce gently, uncovered 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Serve with grated pecorino or parmesan cheese.

Pizzaiola - Tomato and Garlic Sauce
This Neapolitan sauce is ideal for thin slices of beef or veal, particularly if they are a bit tough.
It is also good on chops, meat balls or even fish.
700 (1 1/2lb) ripe tomatoes
oregano or basil
3 or 4 cloves of garlic
olive oil
few black olives (optional)
salt and pepper

Peel (by immersing in boiling water for a few minutes) and slice the tomatoes, chop and add to the garlic and herbs saut6ed in a little olive oil. Do not overcook. Spread the sauce over the escalopes.
Add a few sliced black olives too.

Puttanesca
Serves 4
4 tomatoes
45g can anchovy fillets
12 stuffed olives
2 cloves garlic
1/4 cup oil
1 tbs fresh chopped basil
pinch chilli powder
1/2 cup chopped parsley
salt and pepper

Peel and chop tomatoes; slice olives; drain and chop anchovies; peel and crush garlic.
Heat oil in pan, add garlic, cook until it just changes colour. Add tomatoes, parsley, olives, anchovies, basil and chilli powder. Cook a few minutes longer, season with salt and pepper.

Salsa Verde - Green Sauce
Pound two cloves of garlic in a mortar to a paste and add a heaped tablespoon of finely chopped parsley, a dessertspoonful of capers, three filets of anchovies and one small, chopped gherkin. Continue pounding until a smooth paste is achieved. Add a very little grated onion or, better still, onion juice and one dessertspoonful of soft white breadcrumbs. Pour in a teaspoonful of olive oil, drop by drop, then dilute with lemon juice until the mixture is fairly liquid.
A more simple version of the same sauce is to combine some finely chopped parsley, capers and anchovies with one chopped hardboiled egg. Add a vine-vinegar and oil dressing and enough soft breadcrumbs to give body to the sauce.

Salsa al Peperoncino - Fresh Red Chilli Sauce
6 red chillies, seeded and finely chopped
25g (1 oz) flat-leaf parsley, chopped
1 garlic clove, peeled and finely chopped
120 ml (4 fl oz) extra virgin olive oil
salt and freshly ground black pepper

Combine the chillies, parsley 'and garlic.
Season with salt and pepper, and pour the oil over the top.

previous page
                                                                                   top page