Cooking is a family thing for Vito Spinelli. “Growing up in an Italian/Colombian family, eating is what we did and still do best,” he shares, laughing. Family meals are the memories that stand out most. Spinelli’s family would start the prep for their big meals one day prior and then spend the following day cooking and eating. “Cooking is kind of like an Olympic sport in our house,” he says with a smile.
These days, you will find his siblings, parents and even his nieces helping at The Brick, known for its delicious specialty pizzas with fresh ingredients and a family-friendly atmosphere, where Spinelli has been the chef and co-owner for almost eight years. “My favorite thing about cooking is that it brings everyone together. Dinnertime is such an important part of who I am as a person and who we are as a family,” he says.
Every Labor Day weekend, it’s tradition that Spinelli’s family makes a year’s worth of sauce. They work around the clock—it usually takes about 36 hours to make and can all of it. “The kitchen always brings the family together not only in the restaurant but also on days off. I know I am biased but no one works harder than us,” he says.
Spinelli is sharing that prized sauce recipe, which can be used for pizza or pasta. The memories he’s made making it with family and sharing it with friends have been such a gift, and he wants to share that gift with others here.
“For as crazy as it can get, we end every night with our family meal together,” says Spinelli. “Our night wouldn’t be complete without it.”
1 W. Broad St. Suite 101, Bethlehem | 610.419.1141 | thebrickpa.com
Homemade Sauce
Ingredients
- 1 bushel San Marzano or plum tomatoes
- 1 onion
- 3 basil leaves
- Salt to taste
Instructions
Rinse tomatoes and let them air dry. Once dried, cut them in halves and place them in large saucepan. Add onion, basil and salt.
Cook on medium heat for 20 minutes, until boiling, while mixing so tomatoes don’t stick to bottom of pan. Pass cooked tomatoes through tomato sauce processor (you may have to pass the cooked tomatoes through a few times until all seeds and skin are removed). Put the mixture back into the saucepan and cook for about 30 more minutes.
Pour sauce into warm jars and immediately close jars. Boil jars to seal. Keep all the jars covered under blankets until cooled.
