My sauce is a happy sauce!
It is a recipe that combines the tricks and tips
of many chefs! It is a recipe that has most definitely
evolved as I have aged. Most importantly I have learned
that the longer I leave it alone, and let it do it's own thing,
the better it comes out! So as you take a look at the ingredients
and instructions, remember to "make it your own" by adding/subtracting,
tossing and turning it all up so it becomes YOUR sauce.
Just enjoy the process and have fun feeding your people.
Ingredients
2 14.5 oz cans of good diced tomatoes (San Marzano is my choice)
3 14.5 oz cans of crushed tomatoes "
1 14.5 oz can of tomato sauce "
1 empty tomato can filled with red wine
5 cloves of garlic peeled and crushed
1/2 of a bell pepper cleaned of seeds - do not chop
1 cup of fresh basil and more for garnish
1/4 tsp crushed red pepper
1 tablespoon of white sugar
sea salt and pepper to taste
freshly grated Parmesan
Start with a great pot. A pot that is heavy like a dutch oven.
Your going to cook this all day so you don't want to have to
babysit your sauce in a pot that will easily burn food.
Add all of your ingredients except basil into you pot and bring to a low boil.
Stir it well, cover and reduce heat to a low simmer.
Simmer all day if you can or at least 5 hours. In the last hour add the basil.
Ladle over your favorite pasta with fresh basil and parmesan and you are GOLD!
If you want to add Italian sausage links to this sauce then you will want to
first sear the sausage links first in the same pot with a little amount of olive oil.
Do not cook the sausage all the way through just brown outside and then
add all of the remaining ingredients to the pot and simmer all day.
Meatball lesson will be on another day!
Last tip!
Do not underestimate the amount of entertainment
a small human in a high chair can bring when presented
with a plate of pasta and a LOT of red sauce!
Isabella Louise enjoying spaghetti!
