Sauce Segretto

Name: Sauce Segretto
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 50 min
Total time: 1 h 5 min
Yield: 3 cups
Cuisine: italian
Ingredients: 2 sticks salted butter; 1 medium-size onion, diced; 1 carrot, diced; 1 rib celery, diced; 4 pounds fresh plum tomatoes, cored and peeled or four cups canned Italian tomatoes; 1/2 teaspoon salt; 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground pepper; 1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes; Grated parmesan for garnish

Recipe from Nora Ephron

Adapted by Molly O'Neill

Updated Oct. 12, 2023

Total Time: 65 minutes
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 50 minutes
Rating: (0)
Comments: Read comments

In 1991, sundried tomatoes and truffle oil were sweeping the nation, and red sauce, that old reliable, had fallen from favor. Enter this brightly flavored sauce from Nora Ephron, who gave it to The Times that year, saying, “You can only put up a sun-dried tomato front for so long.” This sauce, a weeknight mash of plum tomatoes, carrots, celery and onion, is given a silky depth with a substantial amount of butter. Serve it over pasta with a good crusty loaf to sop up the leftovers. —Molly O'Neill

Featured in: With Sauces, It's No Longer Better Dead Than Red

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Ingredients

Yield:3 cups

2sticks salted butter
1medium-size onion, diced
1carrot, diced
1rib celery, diced
4pounds fresh plum tomatoes, cored and peeled or four cups canned Italian tomatoes
½teaspoon salt
¼teaspoon freshly ground pepper
¼ to ½teaspoon red pepper flakes
Grated parmesan for garnish

Ingredient Substitution Guide

Preparation

Step 1
In a large frying pan, melt one stick of butter and cook onion, carrot and celery about 10 minutes, until onion is translucent. Add tomatoes and mash with spoon. Cook over medium-low heat about 30 to 40 minutes until sauce starts to thicken slightly and picks up slightly orange color of carrot.
Step 2
Cut remaining butter into slices and whisk into sauce. Season with salt, pepper and red pepper flakes. Serve sauce over spaghetti.

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