This is a basic sauce that can dress ravioli, topini (little potato gnocchi) and gnudi (spinach and ricotta dumplings), or even a humble pasta al pomodoro. Use this also as the sauce for crumbed meat fillets in braciole rifatte (crumbed beef in tomato sauce) and for ‘staining’ the top of crespelle alla fiorentina (Florentine-style crêpes) before they hit the oven. You may not need the entire amount but this will store well, in a jar, in the fridge for several days, or you can easily halve the recipe. The longer you cook this, the tastier it gets.