{italian tomato sauce}

This is an AMAZING recipe! You can use canned tomatoes, or fresh ones from the garden, and if you make big batches, it can be frozen for later use. This recipe came from a friend, who adapted it from The Moosewook Cookbook. I had this sauce both on spaghetti and lasagne this week, and my mouth is still watering!

ITALIAN TOMATO SAUCE

2-3 T. olive oil
2 c. chopped onion
1 medium-sized bell pepper, diced
2 tsp. basil
1 tsp. oregano
1 tsp. thyme
1 1/2 tsp. salt
1 (29 oz.) can tomatoes (or use equal amounts fresh tomatoes, chopped)
1 (6 oz.) can tomato paste
1 T. honey
Lots of black pepper
4-6 large cloves garlic, minced
1/2 c. freshly minced parsley

Heat the olive oil in a big pot or Dutch oven. Add onion, bell pepper, herbs and salt; saute over medium heat until the onion is very soft, about 10 minutes. ADd tomatoes, tomato paste, honey, and black pepper. Bring to a boil, then lower heat and simmer, partially covered, for 20-30 minutes. Add garlic and cook about 10 minutes more.

At this point, the sauce can sit for several hours, or be refrigerated for up to a week. Add parsley at the last minute. Serve over spaghetti or other pasta, or use as a sauce for lasagne. You can add 2 chopped celery stalks, 1 pound chopped mushrooms, 1-2 diced zucchini, and a handful of freshly chopped basil leaves to make a marinara version.