Marcella Hazan's tomato sauce with bayleaf, fresh tomato, olive oil and wine

In today's celebrity-driven, overtly-glamorized world of food, we can't but get the impression that food is about the chef and eaters are just minions who exist to boost egos of chefs. Is it so? 

Marcella Hazan-the cook who started cooking so that her husband loved her even more and transformed how we think of Italian food forever- reminds us that it is about giving pleasure to the eater. After all, if food fails to please, what else does it offer? The audience matters. The eater matters. 
Eater-focussed food traditions should not die. Neither should the idea that cooking for love die.It is okay to cook to please. 

I was reminded of that tradition, recently. And it was moment of calibration, reflection and realization. And I fell in love with cooking, again. Yes, indeed food is to please. And there is probably nothing that gives joy and pleasure more than pasta in tomato sauce, when done right.

Hazan passed away recently and Mark Bittman, interviewed her one last time. And that is when I started making her tomato sauce pasta. This recipe is to please and for love! 

Over time though I have slowly changed the pasta sauce to incorporate spice and fresh tomato. The result is not Hazan (very few things can be!) But it is fragrant and fresh and I hope still manages what Hazan would intend to- please the eater :) 

Marcella Hazan's tomato sauce with bayleaf, fresh tomato, olive oil and wine

You can just use the recipe as is written HERE and just add two bayleaves and a bit of red wine. Or you could try my version

This recipe makes enough sauce for 1/2 lb of pasta that can serve two people

Ingredients

1. 1/2 lb long cut pasta. Linguine, papardelle, fettucine
2. (I use Denver's very own Pappardelle Pasta from the weekly Boulder Farmer's Market)
3. 3 large or 6 medium or 10 small over ripe tomatoes. Halved
4. 1 large or two medium or 4 small onions. Peeled and Halved
5. 1/2 cup wine (adds the sugar). I use a good red drinking wine. 
6. 3 dried bayleafs
7. 1/3 cup of olive oil
8. 1 cop of water. warmed up. 
9. Salt to taste
10. 3-4 large fresh basil leaves. Rolled up and cut. Cut when you are ready to assemble the dish.  (
11. Olive oil for drizzling (according to taste)
12. Freshly ground black pepper 
13. Grated parmesan (optional)

Instructions

Step 1: Combine tomatoes, onions, water, 2 tsp, olive oil and bayleaves in a saucepan.
Step 2: Place saucepan over medium hear and cook uncovered for 1 hour. Check seasoning. Add salt as needed. If the sauce gets too dry, add water. Heated water. Mash tomatoes occasionally.

Step 3: Add wine. Stir and cook for another 5 minutes. You can discard or keep the onions. I do it as the mood is of the eater :) 

Step 4: Cook pasta according to package directions. Reserve a cup of pasta cooking liquid before draining the pasta.

Step 5: Toss the pasta with the sauce. If you feel that the pasta is a bit dry, moisten with the reserved pasta liquid 

Step 6: Drizzle with olive oil, season with freshly cracked black pepper, cheese and basil.

Here is to pleasing with food and cooking for love!

Marcella Hazan as a young immigrant New Yorker with her writer husband. The two lived happily evert after, till Marcella's death did them apart. Photo from NPR