Classic Meat Sauce
This one takes awhile but it's mostly stirring and waiting. I like making it on a lazy day where I can drink wine and chat while it cooks.
Servings: 6 people
Ingredients
- 1 lb Italian pork sausage or sausage
- olive oil
- 1 onion minced
- 1 carrot minced
- 1 celery minced
- 1/4 cup parsley
- 1 28oz can whole tomatoes with juices
- fresh thyme
- rosemary
- fennel
- 3 tbsp tomato paste
- salt
- ground pepper
- 1 lb pasta
- fresh grated parmesan cheese
Instructions
- Crumble italian sausage (or pork sausage with spices) into dutch oven and cook over medium-low heat. Add oil if not rendering. Saute until opaque but not browned, about 5 minutes.
- Add onion, carrot, celery and parsley. Add oil if the pan seems dry. Cook over low heat until beginning to caramelize and meat is browned, stirring often, about 40 minutes. Do not rush this process.
- Add tomatoes and juices, breaking up the tomatoes. Add thyme and rosemary and simmer uncovered until liquid is almost evaporated, about 20 to 25 minutes.
- Add tomato paste to pan and stir until mixed in. Add 1 cup of water. Reduce heat to very low and cook until velvety and dark red, about 10 minutes. Remove herb sprigs. Season with salt and pepper.
- Meanwhile, cook pasta to al dente and reserve 2 cups of cooking water.
- Add pasta back to pot set over low heat, add a ladleful of sauce, a splash of cooking water and stir. Repeat, adding sauce, water and stir until pasta is cooked through.
- Pour pasta into warmed bowl and pour remaining sauce on top. Sprinkle with remaining parsley and parmesan and serve.