Rosatella Sauce

After eating Canneloni Genovese too many times at a local restaurant, a friend and I set out to recreate the Rosatella Sauce at home. Here is the basic sauce. that seems about as close as we can get. It's the best of a simple marinara sauce combined with alfredo sauce.

• Ready In: 1 hr 30 mins
• Serves: 4-6

Ingredients

• 1⁄8 cup olive oil or 3  tablespoons butter
• 3  small onions, finely chopped
• 5  garlic cloves, finely chopped
• 2  stalks celery, finely chopped
• 2  carrots, peeled and finely chopped
• 1⁄2 teaspoon sea salt
• 1⁄2 teaspoon black pepper, freshly ground
• 2 (32 ounce) cans crushed tomatoes
• 2  dried bay leaves
• 1  cup heavy cream

Directions

1. In a large pot, heat the oil/butter over a medium-high flame.
2. Add the onions and garlic.
3. Sauté until the onions are translucent, about 10 minutes.
4. Add the celery, carrots, and 1/2 teaspoon of each salt and pepper.
5. Sauté until all the vegetables are soft, about 10 minutes.
6. Add the tomatoes, oregano, parsley and bay leaves, and simmer uncovered over low heat until the sauce thickens, about 1 hour.
7. Remove and discard the bay leaf.
8. Add heavy cream and bring to temperature.
9. Mix in parmesan cheese and stir until melted.
10. Season the sauce with more salt, pepper, parmesan cheese, to taste.
11. The sauce can be made 1 day ahead. Cool, then cover and refrigerate. Rewarm over medium heat before using.