An Italian Tomato Sauce from the “Old Country”
Ammoglio is an Italian American tomato sauce that originated in Sicily and came to Detroit through Italian immigrants like my Great Grandma Rose. Just like Sunday sauce, ammoglio is made in numerous ways. But one thing remains constant, it’s always served at room temperature and it’s used as a condiment over meat, chicken or fish.
For some reason, in Michigan, breaded steak became the most common and popular way to enjoy the sauce. Because of this, it’s on heavy rotation for supper even in non-Italian American homes.
Growing up Italian American
Whenever summer rolls around, the bounty of fragrant, fresh tomatoes remind me of summers past and eating dinner at my great Auntie Ann’s house. Breaded steak with “ammoglio” tomato sauce or “Moy-gyu,” as my family pronounced it, was one of the dishes I remember eating at Auntie’s table.
Like many Italian American families in the Detroit area, Auntie Ann had a full kitchen and main dining area in the basement of her home. During the hot summer months, it was lovely to cook and eat in the coolest part of the house. And making fresh tomato ammoglio sauce meant that it was one less thing for Auntie to have to make that would heat up her kitchen!
Generations Gather Round the Table
On a Sunday afternoon, generations of our family would gather round Auntie’s table all eating, laughing and telling jokes. With a gruff and gravely voice, Uncle Jack would tell stories and cuss while enjoying a hearty plate of breaded steak topped with ammoglio sauce. Auntie served fresh Italian bread with sesame seeds, a simple green salad dressed in red wine vinegar and olive oil and mostaccioli with plenty of hand-grated pecorino cheese on top.
After supper, the Stella D’oro cookies, cannoli and coffee came out. This was when Auntie would call her cranky pet chihuahua “Rocky” to the table. She’d scoop up the shaking, growling dog into her ample arms and coax him to “sing” for us!
“Who loves Mama? Who? Sing for Mama, Rocky, SING!” Auntie would croon to the dog as he howled!
“Raaaaroooooo raaaarooooo raaaaarooooooo!!!!” Rocky cried, his big brown eyes glistening.
My siblings and I would crack up! No matter how hard we tried, we couldn’t get that dog to howl for us! And for all our efforts, all we ever got from the annoyed dog was a bite! I truly cherish those fun times from childhood with my family.
A Fresh Summer Tomato Sauce
Ammoglio? Ammoghio? I’ve seen this Sicilian salsa spelled and pronounced as many ways as it’s made! Some recipes have included marjoram, parsley and basil. Below, you’ll find MY version of this sauce and how I like to eat it.
To make breaded steak, take an inexpensive beef steak cutlet and pound until very thin. Then dip in egg wash, bread in seasoned “Italian-style” breadcrumbs and pecorino cheese. Broil or pan fry the steak and serve with generous spoonfuls of the tasty tomato sauce.
Recently, my dad told me he had never eaten rice while growing up and that it wasn’t until he married my non-Italian mother that he had it for the first time. She would serve the steak and Italian tomato sauce over hot, buttered rice and because of this, I still love it served that way to this day. It’s comforting and delicious.
This fresh tomato sauce takes minutes to make but works best if allowed to sit a few hours or even overnight for flavors to blend. For a light summer supper, serve it over grilled fish. I absolutely love it over grilled chicken breasts with zucchini and a big, crunchy salad. Or better yet, stick to Detroit Italian American tradition and serve it over a couple of pieces of breaded steak, because Auntie would have liked it that way. Enjoy!
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No-Cook Tomato Dishes: Tomato Ammoglio Sauce
Ammoglio or "a-moigu" or "moigu" as it’s fondly called in the Detroit area, is an Italian American summertime favorite. Simple, delicious and incredibly versatile, this sauce can enhance grilled meats, breaded steak or chicken, fish and vegetables.
Make sure you use the freshest and ripest, most fragrant tomatoes you can find and a very good quality extra virgin olive oil.
- 3 large ripe tomatoes
- 1-2 cloves garlic (peeled. )
- 3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil (A green, fruity olive oil is perfect)
- 6 fresh basil leaves
- sea salt (Maldon flakes)
- black pepper (freshly ground)
Prepare an ice bath in a large bowl.
Bring a large pot of water to boil.
With a paring knife, cut an "x" into the bottom of each tomato.
Put the tomatoes in boiling water for one minute.
Using a slotted spoon, remove the tomatoes from the boiling water and plunge into the ice bath. This will allow the tomatoes to relase their skins easier.
Go to the "x" on the bottom of each tomato. Using the paring knife, peel away at the "x" to release the skin. Peel the skin from all the tomatoes and discard. Set aside the tomatoes.
Regarding the garlic: Start with one clove and if you want more, you can add more the next time. As the sauce marinates, the flavor of the garlic will really come through. This is a dish to make to your taste.
Add the garlic and a pinch of salt to mortar and smash together into a paste or process in a processor.*
Add the basil leaves and pound lightly to relase the oils and flavor.
Cut the tomatoes in half and squeeze out the seeds into a refuse bowl.
With clean hands, crush the tomatoes over the mortar.
Add the rest of the tomatoes to the mortar and smash, leaving the tomatoes pulpy.
Add the rest of the oil and adjust salt and pepper as needed.
Put the sauce into a glass bowl, cover and refrigerate for two hours for flavors to meld. You may also leave on the counter top at room temperature.
Let sauce come to room temperature before serving.
Serve over breaded steak, grilled chicken or fish, pasta or anything that could use a delicious hit of fresh tomato flavor with a Sicilian twist!
*You may simply chop the garlic and squeeze tomatoes into a medium-sized glass bowl if you haven't a food processor or mortar.
Originally posted 2019-07-12 18:08:45.
Love it! And how do you read your steak?
What a beautiful story and recipe!! Making it this Sunday for my Sicilian mother-in-law. THANK YOU. ❤️💚❤️💚❤️
Brilliant story and recipe!
There is a book in you eager to be revealed!
I need to make the time to write! Thank you!
I will give it a try! Thank you!
Thank you!
Just love the stories behind family tradition’s with food you grow up with large groups around the table . Your recipes are mouthwatering .
Thank you, Christine!
I was part of that Detroit era as a kid in the 50’s and 60’s. My fondest memory of that sauce was on top of grilled chicken or steak. The sauce was put on it just before it was pulled from the grill. Prior to grilling, the chicken was marinated in Salmoriglio, (the olive oil, lemon garlic etc.marinade/dressing) for several hours if not overnight before grilling. I can taste it all, just thinking about it. I just talked myself into making it this week!
I hope you enjoyed it, Rick. Thank you for visiting! Tutti a tavola! (To the table!)
Ladivacucina,
The “Ammoglio Sauce” is an Italian/Sicilian flavor bomb to our palettes, wonderful array of flavor crystals to our taste buds. Thanks for the helpful reminder how simple recipes can bring out wonderful tastes.
Thanks for sharing your interesting and wonderful Italian family history in the “D”, extended family diners were the height of the week back then. Do you remember Bertotti’s Italian Imports on Gratiot ave in the “D”?
Love this! Every summer my mom and dad grilled breaded meat and doused it with this sauce. Mom would take a big piece of her basil plant to use as a brush to lather this all over the breaded steak. Thank you for a wonderful memory and the recipe!
All 4 of my grandparents were from Sicily. Authentic Sicilian. ♥️🤍💚
We used to buy this wonderful sauce at Alcamo’s market in Dearborn, MI. Sadly, the owners retired in the autumn of 2022 and the store is closed. I could never find a recipe before this. Now I can make it at home! Thank you so much
You’re welcome, Jennifer. I hope you like the recipe!
Mamma Mia. My grandparents used to make this sauce and it was used to smother freshly cooked steak with this cold sauce. However they substituted fresh mint leaves for basil which gave a great balance between beef and herb.
Can also use this sauce with lamb chops.
That sounds excellent Santino! Thank you for your comment and your version!
Magnifico! I learned about this sauce at Lenny’s Blues Cafe in the D, also on Gratiot Avenue, unfortunately no longer open. It was served on top of an omelet, WOW! I’ve been missing it for 25+ years!!! Grazie, Grazie, Grazie!!! Will finally be able to enjoy it again!
Thanks, Sandi! It really is a wonderfully versatile sauce! I hope you enjoyed it!
We made ammoghiu for spiedini, breaded steak and chicken. We used oregano in place of the basil. Born on the eastside , shopped at Julian Brothers on Gratiot, then Giglio’s. I am the current Auntie Ann in our family. Thanks for bringing back those memories!
You are so welcome, Annie! Thank you for sharing your version of the sauce and more about yourself and family!
Love this recipe! Everyone has their own way of making it and spelling it, lol. I eat it with anything, especially grilled Italian sausage on a bun doused with it! John Y. Eastside Detroit