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Sauces

Say 'sauce' in Italy, and more likely than not, a tomato sauce on pasta and pizza are the first thing that springs to mind. Although Italian cuisine on the whole is based on the goodness of its basic ingredients (unlike saucy French cuisine) there are countless others, both for pasta and meat dishes, notably bollito misto, a dish where the various sauces and condiments are the stars of the show.

aceto/aceto balsamico

vinegar, and a very special vinegar

agliata

garlic sauce

agresto

verjus

aja

garlic, walnut and butter sauce

amatriciana

classic pasta sauce from Lazio

ammoglio

a Sicilian sauce

arrabbiata

spicy hot pasta sauce

avije

honey mustard sauce

bagnet

green or red sauce for boiled meats

besciamella

béchamel sauce

boscaiola

with fresh mushrooms

bozner

asparagus sauce

briciolata

fried bread crumbs

buglione

rich meaty ragù

camellina

medieval white sauce

carbonara

sauce made with eggs, pancetta and parmigiano

carrettiera

spicy tomato sauce, or tuna and mushroom sauce

cognà

Piedmontese chutney

colatura

anchovy sauce, a descendant of ancient garum

crudaiola

with fresh tomatoes and basil

dolceforte

sweet sauce for gamey meat

filetto di pomodoro

with fresh whole tomatos

garum

fish sauce, Roman style

genovese

beef and onion ragù

gremolata

lemon zest, chopped garlic and parsley

gricia

classic Roman pasta sauce

maionese

mayonnaise

marinara

pizza with tomato sauce, or just the sauce

montanara

'mountain style'

mostarda

candied fruit in a mustardy sauce

mugnaia

meurnière sauce or rustic handmade pasta

nero di sepia

cuttlefish ink

passato/passata

purée/tomato sauce

pearà

marrow sauce

pesto

more than one kind of sauce

peverada

a rich spicy sauce

pizzaiola

in the pizza style

pomarola

tomato, garlic and basil sauce

puttanesca

'whore-style sauce'

ragù

meat sauce

rancetto

pancetta-based sauce

salamora

wild fennel, garlic and orange olive oil

salsa

sauce, or dressing, or a condiment

salsa verde

a zingy green sauce good with fish and meats

scarpariello

'shoemakers' sauce'

sciuè sciuè

quick tomato sauce

senape

mustard

silana

Calabrian pasta sauce

su ghisadu

meaty sauce with saffron

sugo

sauce or gravy

tocco

rich meat sauce

trainiera

tomato and basil sauce

vincotto

similar to balsamic vinegar

zingara

'gypsy' style sauce or garnish

zozzona

'dirty' pasta sauce

Text © Dana Facaros & Michael Pauls