Imagine a heaping plate of spaghetti tossed in a rich tomato sauce. Now imagine that same tomato sauce, steaming from being so freshly made. And the smell. The incredible smell of tomatoes on carbs overwhelms you, and you wouldn’t have it any other way.
Now look back to your plate of pasta with that overly salted tomato sauce dumped on top. As students who are only just beginning to understand the meaning of cooking, store-bought jars of pasta sauce can leave much to be desired.
It’s difficult to replicate the smell of home in your sketchy Kingston house or res room. This tomato sauce recipe delivers the authentic Italian flavours that most people only dream to achieve while filling your kitchen with the smells of home.
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 1 hour 15 minutes
Total Time: 1 hour 25 minutes
Servings: 3
Ingredients:
1 28-oz. can crushed tomatoes
3 tablespoons olive oil
1/8 medium white onion
1 clove garlic (optional)
½ red pepper (optional)
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon ground black pepper
2 basil leaves
Directions:
1. Dice the onion, red pepper, and garlic. Keep the garlic separate to add later.
Photo by Adeena Zeldin
2. Pour the olive oil into a pot until the bottom of the pot is lightly coated. Set element to medium heat and allow oil to heat up.
Photo by Adeena Zeldin
3. Add the onions and red pepper, spreading them out evenly along the bottom of the pot. After about 5 minutes, add the garlic and stir. Allow this mixture to simmer for another 5 minutes while stirring occasionally.
Photo by Adeena Zeldin
4. Once the onions become clear, add the crushed tomatoes and basil leaves. Turn the heat to medium-high.
Photo by Adeena Zeldin
5. Stir the salt and black pepper into the sauce before putting the lid onto the pot. To allow for steam to escape, only partially cover the pot.
Photo by Adeena Zeldin
6. Let the sauce come to a boil for 5 minutes before removing the lid. Reduce the heat to medium-low, bringing the sauce to a simmer.
Photo by Adeena Zeldin
7. Let simmer for about an hour, stirring occasionally. The sauce is ready to serve on your favourite pasta once the desired consistency is reached.
Photo by Adeena Zeldin
Pro tips:
Do not cook the sauce with chili pepper as it will leave a salty taste. Wait until you eat before adding chilies for extra spice. Also, garlic fries faster then onion, so you want to add the garlic later to avoid burning.
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