crucible of ennui

I’m willing to put my sauce recipe up against anything out there. This has been in my family for years. Why am I putting it out there? Because everyone deserves a chance at greatness. My sauce could stop a religious war. My sauce is world peace in a pot of rich red tomato-y goodness. No foolies.

Hokay. This was my Papa’s recipe. Then my dad’s. And now it’s mine. I think we all changed it in some small ways over the years. So this is how it exists today.

1 onion diced
2 cloves garlic (more if you’d like)
1-2 tbsp olive oil
2 huge ass cans of crushed tomatoes - like the ones at warehouse places
2 tbsp parsley
2 tbsp basil
1 tsp worcheshire sauce
4-6 drops Tabasco
1-2 cups red wine

If you like mushrooms, decide how much you want in your sauce, then at the very beginning add them to the oil and start browning them just before you add the onions. Remember not to over cook the onions - just till they turn translucent. So - olive oil, onions, garlic - sauté until translucent. Then add the rest of everything, stir and simmer.

If you’re looking to make a meat sauce - decide how heavy a meat sauce you want. I grew up with heavy meat sauces. The kind that held the spoon suspended upright in the pot. This is a great way to use leftover chicken or steak. Before you put your sauce pot on the stove take your meat and begin slicing it very thin with the grain. Then cut it into strips, about 1 inch long and 1/4 inch thick. Place in sauce pot with olive oil and cook until everything just gets done. Then add the rest of the oil, onions and garlic. Then the rest of the ingredients and simmer simmer simmer. Like overnight kinda simmer. I usually start this in the evening so it can become fabulous overnight.

I’ll post the meatball and lagasna filling recipe later this week.