Entrées · comfort food
Salsa Gialla
A few years ago, I went to a dinner party where a friend served a pasta dish I couldn’t quite figure out. The sauce was incredibly rich and creamy, with so much flavor—and it was absolutely delicious. In fact, it’s just about the only thing I remember from that night because it was so good.
I later learned that the sauce was Salsa Gialla, a traditional Italian recipe that gets remarkable flavor from just a handful of simple ingredients. It also follows an old Italian cooking rule that surprised me: choose onion or garlic, but don’t use both in the same dish.
It’s a great reminder that delicious food doesn’t have to be complicated. Sometimes a few simple ingredients, prepared well, are all you need to impress.
Ingredients
For the sauce
- 2 ½ medium onions, cut in fourths
- 3 medium-large carrots, cut in fourths
- 3 stalks celery, cut in fourths
- 1 cup raw walnuts (about; add more for a creamier sauce)
- 3 long sprigs fresh rosemary
- 1 cup water or vegetable broth
- 2 teaspoons salt, or more as needed to make the sauce savory
- 1 lb mushrooms (optional)
- 10 oz frozen English peas or shelled edamame
Method
- 1
In a 6–8 quart non-stick pot or slow cooker, add the mushrooms (if using), onions, carrots, and celery. Pour in about 1 cup of water or vegetable broth.
- 2
Lay the rosemary sprigs on top and cover with a lid.
- 3
Simmer over medium-low heat for about 4 hours, until the vegetables are very soft. Try not to stir, so the rosemary stays put.
- 4
For the last 30–45 minutes, set the lid slightly ajar so the liquid reduces by at least ½ inch.
- 5
Remove the rosemary sprigs.
- 6
Remove the mushrooms and set them aside.
- 7
Add the walnuts, onions, carrots, celery, and cooking liquid to a blender and blend until smooth. Add a splash of water if needed.
- 8
For a stronger rosemary flavor, strip the leaves from the sprigs and blend in as many as you like. (I add most or all of them.)
- 9
Season with salt. This sauce should taste savory, so you’ll need enough salt to balance the natural sweetness of the vegetables.
- 10
Stir in the peas while the sauce is hot. I love the contrast in texture and flavor they add.
- 11
Serve over noodles, topped with the cooked mushrooms.
Variation: with lentils
In stead of the peas, stir in 1 cup of cooked lentils. Serve over rice or quinoa instead of noodles.
Times are estimates.
