If you like to mix reading and cooking, Cesare Casella offers a delightful blend of family reminiscences and recipes for Tuscan dishes in this charmingly written, culinarily opinionated book. Casella first came to the attention of food lovers while cooking at Il Vipore, the restaurant his parents started in a small Tuscan town near Lucca in 1964. Under his guidance, the restaurant won a Michelin star in 1993, the same year he moved to New York City to cook at Coco Pazzo.
1/2 teaspoon ground allspice or a dash each of grated nutmeg, ground cloves, and ground cinnamon
In a large saucepan, saute the onion, celery, carrot, and garlic in the olive oil over medium heat until the mixture is tender and translucent, about 15 minutes. Just before the mixture begins to color, add the pork, beef, veal, pancetta, and prosciutto. Continue cooking until the meat is browned, about 8 or 9 minutes.
Add the wine, and raise the heat to reduce the liquid. Cook for 5 to 10 minutes. Add the tomatoes and cook, covered, over medium-low heat for about 50 minutes. Add the water, salt, red pepper flakes, black pepper, and spices and cook for another 50 minutes, until the sauce is thick and flavorful. (Check occasionally to make sure the sauce isn't drying out. If it is, add a bit more water.)
