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1
Trim the leaves and ends from the celery stalks and remove the strings, either by running a vegetable peeler over the surface of the stalk or by using a paring knife as follows: Hold the stalk in your hands and cut from the inside of the stalk to the outside without cutting all the way through.
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2
Just before finishing the cut, pull the knife toward you, and the strings should peel off down the length of the stalk.
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3
Cut the trimmed stalks in half crosswise and set them aside.
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4
Preheat the oven to 400 F. Heat the olive oil in a small saucepan over medium heat.
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5
Whack the garlic cloves with the side of a knife and toss them into the pan.
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6
Cook, shaking the pan, until golden, about 2 minutes.
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7
Pour in the crushed tomatoes and their liquid and the water, and season lightly with salt and crushed red pepper.
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8
Bring to a boil, lower the heat so the sauce is simmering, and cook until the sauce is lightly thickened, about 10 minutes.
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9
Taste, and season with additional salt and red pepper if necessary.
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10
Spoon half the sauce over the bottom of an 11-inch oval baking dish (or equivalent-size dish into which the celery pieces fit in a single layer).
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11
Lay the celery pieces, hollow side up and side by side, into the dish.
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12
Spoon the remaining sauce evenly over them and cover the dish with aluminum foil.
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13
Bake until the celery is tender but firm, 30 to 35 minutes.
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14
Remove the aluminum foil, sprinkle the grated cheese in an even layer over the celery, and bake uncovered until the cheese is golden brown and the celery is tender, about 10 minutes.
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15
Let rest for 5 minutes and serve.
