Perhaps your family’s addicted to Rao’s bottled marinara sauce. Odds are they haven’t yet tried the Monte Bene line of pasta sauces ($4.99/24-oz jar). Produced by Westchester’s own Cucina Antica Foods, Corp. (Bedford Hills 914-244-9700), the sauces contain no high-fructose corn syrup, have one-half to one-third less sodium than most other brands and, oh yes, taste pretty darn good over your fusilli. The Monte Bene sauces, made with a combo of New Jersey tomatoes and imported San Marzano tomatoes, are a less pricey alternative to the company’s gourmet sauce line, made primarily with the San Marzano variety ($7.99/25-oz jar). Flavors include spicy marinara, garlic marinara, and tomato basil.
Cucina Antica’s products can be ordered through Fresh Direct (freshdirect.com) or purchased at the following markets: Briarcliff Seafood Meats & Deli, DeCicco Family Markets, Mrs. Green’s Natural Market, Table Local Market, and Whole Foods Market.
