Pasta is a family favorite at my house.

I always make homemade sauce, and use my own fresh Italian Basil grown in my garden. During the summer growing season when I have more basil than I know what to do with, I use a food processor to grind fresh basil, garlic and olive oil, into a paste. I freeze this and enjoy the flavor of fresh basil in my cooking all winter long.

Using dried basil is just fine if you can’t get your hands on fresh stuff, but my preference will always be FRESH!

Canned tomatoes, sauces and pastes are combined to give a thick, rich sauce. I just love the Contadina brand that has roasted garlic or herbs. It gives my sauce another dimension of flavor.

Red wine is a must! This doesn’t have to be expensive stuff, but I recommend the deepest red you can find, like burgundy.

2 tablespoons extra virgin oil

½ large or 1 small onion

3 cloves garlic

1 tablespoon dried basil

  Or ½ cup fresh chopped basil

1-29oz. can tomato sauce

1-29oz. can crushed tomatoes

1-6oz. can tomato paste

1 cup red wine

Salt and pepper, to taste

Chop onions and chop, mince, or press garlic

Heat a large 6 quart pot, with a heavy bottom, over medium heat.

When hot, add oil, swirling to cover bottom of pan.

Add onions, stirring for a minute, then garlic and basil.

DO NOT SCORCH-remove from heat if necessary

Saute for a few minutes, till onions are clear

(and your house smells like heaven!)

Add sauce and crushed tomatoes and stir

Fill 1 empty can ½ full with water, pour back and forth between cans to rinse out, then pour into sauce pot. (waste not, want not)

Measure the red wine in a 2-cup measuring cup or pour into 2 cup bowl.

Tip: Open paste can at both ends, remove 1 lid and use other lid to push paste out of can.

Add paste and combine thoroughly, then pour into pot

Add water to measuring cup or bowl, then add to pot (this way, no paste gets wasted!)

Combine thoroughly, add more water till pot is over half-full, turn heat to lowest possible setting, place a lid on the pot, slightly askew and simmer all day. (4-6 hours)

Make sure it doesn’t scorch, check and stir occasionally, adding water if it gets too thick.

After about 2 hours, taste sauce. Add salt and/or pepper to taste.  If sauce is too salty already, or you like a sweeter sauce, peel a carrot, cut into large chunks and throw in the sauce.  Strain carrots out before serving.

Tip: about halfway through cooking, use a hand blender, to puree your sauce to an even smoother finish. This is especially helpful if you have kids (or grownups) who don’t like to see onion pieces in their food.

Double or triple the recipe, cook in a large stock pot and freeze extra sauce for later use.

Brown and drain any type of ground meat, ground beef, veal or sausage and add about an hour before serving.

Meatballs can be added. Add pre-cooked meatballs 1/2 hour before serving.

If you add raw meatballs, give them an hour or more, depending on size.

Over 25 years, I have accumulated many kitchen gadgets, most of which I cannot live without.

The chopper and garlic press are from Pampered Chef, but the same brand, and less pricey, units are available at Bed Bath and Beyond, Amazon and Ebay.

The hand blender is from Braun, and I have had it longer than two of my children. It was likely purchased at Gemco Dept. Store, and still works perfectly. 

My sauce pot is from Sears, given to me as a gift some 25 years ago. It is stainless steel, one handle has fallen off and the ring between the lid and it's handle has disappeared, but it has a heavy bottom and is perfect for simmering sauce.