Salsa alla Boscaiola Tomato Sauce with      Dried Porcini Mushrooms Boscaiola means Woodsman. Make it along with roasted meat dishes. Serve it on Fusilli Lunghi with Parmagiano-Reggiano Cheese. Some cooks add a pinch or two of sugar. Beware. Tomato sauce is often tart after 10 minutes of cooking. Don't be tempted to add sugar at the beginning of the process. A chemical change occurs after about 30 minutes of cooking. The tart flavor usually disappears. If the Tomatoes are very ripe, sugar will not be necessary at all! 2 - 3 oz dried Porcini Mushrooms 1 Tbl Olive Oil 1 Tbls Butter 1/4 cup Onion OR Shallot (finely chopped) 2 - 3 oz Pancetta OR Bacon        (finely julienned - 1/8" x 1" matchstick-size strips) 3 Tbls Cognac 3 1/2 - 4 cups fresh Plum Tomatoes (peeled, seeded, chopped)        OR canned whole Tomatoes (chopped)        OR 6 oz can of Tomato Paste diluted in 3 1/2 cups water 1/8 tsp ground Black Pepper 1/4 tsp Red Pepper Flakes additional Salt if necessary 1. The dried Porcini Mushrooms must be reconstituted:        -Place Mushrooms in 2 cups warm water.        -Let stand for about 30 minutes.        -Pour 1/2 cup of soaking water into another cup, reserve               (Do this gently to avoid getting sand from the bottom.)        -Discard remaining water from Mushrooms.        -Rinse Mushrooms several times to clean away sand.        -Drain Mushroom well, squeezing them gently.        -If you used whole dried Mushrooms, slice them roughly. 2. Heat Olive Oil & Butter in pot. 3. Add Onion Or Shallot, saute until barely golden. 4. Add Pancetta OR Bacon, saute 2 - 3 minutes        until it renders some of its fat. 5. Add reconstituted Mushrooms.        Increase heat to high, add cognac. (ignite if you wish)        Shake the pan once or twice. Evaporate Cognac. 5. Add Tomatoes, Black Pepper & Red Pepper Flakes.        Add reserved 1/2 cup of Mushroom soaking water.        Stir, bring to boil, lower heat.        Simmer gently, uncovered about 40 minutes.        Stir once every 5 minutes or so. 6. After 40 minutes, sauce will have thickened. 7. Remove from heat.        (Dried Mushrooms and Pancetta both have salt.)        (If you think the sauce needs more salt, add it now.)        Serve.