Pepperoni Sauce Graffiato

This is it: The sauce chef Mike Isabella made for his “Top Chef All-Stars” main-course finale. It was praised to the skies by judge Gail Simmons. It will be on the menu at Isabella’s new restaurant, Graffiato. Because it is boldly flavored, a little sauce goes a long way. The chef recommends serving it alongside roasted or grilled chicken. Make Ahead: The sauce can be refrigerated for up to 3 days, or frozen for up to 3 months.

Unbalanced

% Daily Values based on a 2,000 calorie diet

Step 1

Heat the oil in a large, heavy-bottomed pot over medium heat, until the oil shimmers. Add the onion and garlic; cook for 5 to 10 minutes, stirring often, until they are golden and fragrant.

Step 2

Stir in the pepperoni; cook for about 5 minutes, until fragrant and evenly coated, then add the toasted fennel seed and crushed red pepper flakes. Cook for 1 minute, stirring.

Step 3

Add the tomatoes and their juices (to taste), the broth and the bay leaf; stir to incorporate. Once the mixture starts to bubble at the edges, cover and cook for about 45 minutes, stirring occasionally. The pepperoni slices will be soft, with a deeper color. Remove from the heat.

Step 4

Working in batches as needed, transfer to a food processor or a high-powered blender (including the bay leaf). Puree until smooth.

Step 5

The sauce is ready to use. Or cool, cover and refrigerate or freeze.

Step 6

NOTE: Toast the fennel seed in a small dry skillet over medium heat, shaking the skillet often to keep the seeds from burning. They will become fragrant and slightly darker in color.

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