Sugo Finto

This tomato sauce comes with the unlikely name of finto (“pretend or fake”) because it is made just like a meat sauce, although there isn’t a hint of beef or veal to be found in it. In a country in which meat has been a rare treat and vegetables a daily pleasure, it’s just one more clever way that Italian grandmothers deal with scarcity. Toss with pasta or serve with polenta.