Pizzocheri is always served with a hearty sauce, the most traditional of which is made with potatoes and cabbage.

Mariscada, the shellfish stew, is entirely serviceable - a bathtub full of clams, lobster, scallops and tiny shrimps in a hearty sauce with notes of pepper.

These giants, almost as big as lobster tails, hold their own in hearty sauces or when cooked at length.

Main courses in winter include a selection of civets, or game stews, made with deep, hearty sauces of red wine and the blood of the animal.

I had rabbit stew in a hearty Mediterranean-style sauce, polenta and steamed arugula.

Chateau Biltmore cabernet sauvignon, recommended for my entree, was pleasant but didn't hold its own against the filet's hearty balsamic sauce.

This hearty sauce complements steak, chops, and chicken.

One of our favorite dishes was a rich garides (shrimp) saganaki, in a hearty sauce of tomato, cheese, eggs, green peppers and mustard.

"This pasta can stand up to that kind of hearty sauce," she said, tipping the chitarra on its side so the long strands could fall through.

The pizzaiola sauce on a steak showcased La Sila's expertise with hearty red sauces.