(December 2015) TBDPSYEM "The Best Damn Pasta Sauce You've Ever Made"

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I'm not exaggerating when I say that I really do make a gosh darn good pasta sauce. Okay, you think. That's fine. But really. It's worth trying out. 

Make sure to read through the whole thing - ingredients, instructions, and all, before starting to cook anything. It sucks to get halfway through a recipe only to read that you need ingredients or a tool you don't have, or need to prep more ingredients but already have the stove on and things cooking. So, don't be like me. Plan ahead.

Here's the first part:

  • 2 28-oz cans whole tomatoes (Not drained or anything. I use Muir Glen's organic fire-roasted whole tomatoes that I find at Costco, because the extra char is delish and the sodium levels don't make me sad. But use what you can find and enjoy!)
  • 4 T of ghee/clarified butter (or regular unsalted sweet cream butter if you can handle lactose, you lucky dog you)
  • 2 yellow onions, quartered
  • 1 whole bulb of garlic, separated and peeled (leave the cloves whole)
  • 2 t coarse sea salt (or normal salt. whatever you want.)

Put all of the above listed ingredients in a large pot and bring to a boil. Shouldn't take long. Then cover and simmer that goodness on low for 1-2 hours, or however long you want to enjoy the sweet, sweet aroma that will soon emit from under that lid. Whenever you feel like it (I wouldn't leave it going for more than 3 hours, because then it might start to burn and it'll be gross) take it off the heat and let it cool for about 15 minutes. 

Get out your blender and get out a big bowl. Using a ladle, scoop the hot stuff from the pot into your blender in batches. Only blend for a few seconds, until it's chunky but not smooth. You want the chunks. At least, I want the chunks. Pour the mixture into that bowl you got out just a minute ago, and repeat the process. When it's all blended but still chunky and all in the bowl, pour it back into the original pot and put that baby back on the stove on low.

Add the following, to taste. I add a little here, a little there, and go by taste. Sometimes I really want a simple sauce, and sometimes I want depth and complexity. This will make it complex and rich and hearty and just plan wowserific. You've been warned.

  • 1 t sea salt
  • 1/2 t freshly ground pepper 
  • 3 t oregano
  • 2 t basil
  • 2 t onion powder
  • 2 t garlic powder
  • 1 T cumin

Yes, CUMIN.

It really makes all the difference. Some people swear by brown sugar in their pasta sauce. Personally I've never been a fan of adding the sugar. Makes it way too sweet. But I do want some sweetness, weirdly. I decided to try adding a little cumin, and then a little more, and then BAM. It was clearly perfect. (For me, let me just clarify. Perfect for me.) Cumin adds the perfect blend of spicy sweet. Love love love cumin. (As you may recall from when I wrote about my butternut squash soup.) 

[Side note. How do you say "cumin"? I say "q-min." You know, like "you" but with a "k" first. But then I hear other people say "coomin." It's like the opposite of the "puma" debate I had with a friend from England. In the UK they say "pew-ma" and here, across the pond, we say "poo-ma." My friend and I found each other's pronunciation equally hilarious and unthinkable. So, which is it? Cewmin? Coomin? Anyway. Moving on...]

Let that simmer for another half hour or so. Eat it right away and it will be delicious, or store it in your fridge to use the next day or the day after and it will be even better. Personally, I make a batch to use in a lasagna later in the week. 

Don't get all huffity-puffity if you don't end up loving this as much as my enthusiasm led you to think you would. We all have different tastes. But, if you are like me and do pretty much what I've said here, I think you'll really like it.

Godspeed, homecook. 

[Another side note - I never take really good pictures of the food I cook when I'm cooking it. Thus, no pictures. I need to learn to do this. But trust me, again, it also looks amazing.]