First Recipe: Italian Gravy

Italian (gravy) Red Sauce

 

Ingredients

1/3 cup Extra Virgin Olive Oil

1/2 cup yellow/sweet onion diced

2 garlic cloves peeled & smashed with flat side of knife

2 28 oz. cans San Marzano peeled Italian plum tomatoes

1/4 cup Italian Seasoning dried spice

1 Tblsp garlic salt

1 generous pinch crushed red pepper (optional)

6 fresh basil leaves

Directions

In a heavy bottom stainless steel pot, heat olive oil on low. Add garlic and onions and saute for about 5 to 6 minutes until onions are translucent. Be careful not to burn onions or garlic. Hand crush or process the tomatoes through a food mill (suit to your taste) before adding to pot. Caution, take care not to splatter when tomatoes are added to hot oil. Add Italian Seasoning and garlic salt to pot and crushed red pepper if desired. Stir in all ingredients, cover pot, raise heat to high, and bring to boil. When sauce begins to boil tear the basil and add to pot. Reduce heat and simmer covered for 90 minutes. For most people this is enough sauce for 2 lbs. of pasta. Reserve a cup or so of the salted and starchy pasta water if you want to thin your sauce. Remember, pasta water should be "salty like the sea!" And whatever you do, do NOT rinse the pasta under the faucet before serving.

Buona fortuna!