Italy is home to lots of famous sauces, from basic tomato and pesto to rich, hearty Bolognese. Use David's tips to master the country's best sauces.
Get Your Hands Dirty
David's motto: Hands are the best tools. Crushing whole plum tomatoes by hand gives tomato sauce more texture — plus, it's fun to play with your food!
La Salsa di 5 Minuti: Five-Minute Sauce
Tomato sauces are best if you cook them one of two ways: for a few minutes or all day long. Saute onion and garlic in olive oil, then simmer for a few minutes for a quick, all-purpose sauce.
Rocco keeps basic tomato sauce on hand to make more complex sauces, like this meaty Bolognese, a little easier. Combine chopped aromatics with ground beef and pork and wine and simmer with tomatoes for a flavorful Sunday sauce.
If you're a purist (David is), make your basil, pine nut and Parmigiano pesto with a mortar and pestle for a coarser grind. You can also use a food processer for quicker results.
David uses this rich, milk-based sauce as a layer in his lasagna. To make it, stir together equal parts butter and flour in a pan, then wisk in milk and cook until thick.
David mixes fresh chile peppers, basil, garlic and sun-dried tomatoes to create a spicy-hot sauce. Use it to spice up basic tomato sauces or veggie dishes, or spread on bread slices.
