Recipe: Steve's Gravy or Sunday Sauce (Bobby Bacala)

STEVE'S GRAVY OR SUNDAY SAUCE
(Bobby Bacala)

"This is the basic recipe for the most basic sauce in Italian cooking. This is the marinara. This is the root. All other recipes grow out from this one. This is the sauce that goes on all noodles-macaroni, spaghetti, linguine, whatever."

3 tablespoons olive oil, divided use
1 garlic clove, minced
1 teaspoon water
1 (28 ounce) can tomatoes with their juices, diced
2 tablespoon chopped fresh basil (or 1/2 tablespoon dried basil)
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon sugar
1 pound spaghetti, uncooked
Italian bread and grated parmesan cheese (for serving)

Heat 2 tablespoons of the oil in a saucepan over medium heat until it becomes fragrant.

Mix the garlic with one teaspoon of water and carefully add this to the warm oil it will splatter! Saute garlic and cook but don't brown, less than a minute.

Add the tomatoes, bring to a boil, then reduce the heat. Simmer for 10 minutes.

Add the basil, sugar, and salt, and simmer 5 more minutes. Just before serving, blend in the last tablespoon of olive oil.

SPAGHETTI WITH SAUCE

Heat 4 quarts of water in a bit pot. When itis boiling, add the spaghetti. Cook the noodles 11 to 13 minutes, depending on how al dente yo want to them to be. When they are right, drain the noodles in a colander. Drain them completely.

Serve the spaghetti in a big bowl, with the tomato sauce poured on top. Serve with bread and grated parmesan cheese.

Serves 4
Adapted from source: The Goomba's Guide to Life by Steve Schirripa and Charles Fleming