My Sunday Funday Pasta Sauce is something I've been perfecting since Middle School Spring Break. In those days, I would find whatever leftover meat was in the fridge, dig for 15 or so canned foods, and dump them all together with a litany of herbs and spices. I am certain my mom was very pleased to find that her ingredients for the following night's dinner just went into a large vat of tomatoes…but what can you do, it's in there now!
Thankfully, my cooking techniques have evolved since those good old days. I now know that the kitchen sink is really for dirty dishes and that simple ingredients can make complex flavors. The joy of a sauce, however, is that you can pretty much put anything together (within reason), and let it simmer on the back burner until the flavors marry. John said that his Grandmother used to make a fresh batch of pasta sauce every Sunday and let it simmer all day while she prepared the rest of the family feast. I find that this is the best way to make a sauce because the longer the flavors sit together the more depth is built into the flavor profile. Look at me being all foodie doodie with my words…basically, let the stuff sit together and the flavor will be incredible no matter how many ingredients you use!
John and I enjoy a good Sunday Funday with family & friends and I've been told I am no longer allowed to go to Patient First due to an inopportune cooking injury. So, this sauce is great because I get all the chopping out of the way early in the day before enjoying an afternoon by the pool with some *mommy juice* or as my mom used to call it, Loose Juice. Of course I do not leave a pot unattended but, since I use cast iron, I can turn the burner off and the pot will stay warm for hours continuing the cooking process.
Alright, it is Thyme for a glass of wine and some Sunday Funday Pasta Sauce! Per the usual, I added some tips and I even included my secret to an amazingly flavorful and creamy sauce!
Tools:
Large Sauce Pot
Wooden Spoon (it's just a preference)
Bowls for Prep
Vegetable Knife for Chopping
Cutting Board
Metal Tongs
Press n' Seal
Paper Towel
Can Opener
Keep It Simple | Just The Basics:
2 28oz kitchen cut Roma tomatoes w/ basil
1 29 oz tomato sauce (no salt added)
1 28 oz course ground tomatoes
1 14.5 oz petite diced tomatoes (no salt added)
All of these can measurements are 'about' sizes…if you cannot find the same it will not throw off the recipe!
3-4 tbsp Olive Oil
4-5 Cloves of Garlic (Or… if you are like me and prefer it seeping from your pores…use the whole bulb if it isn't too big!)
1 Large Onion (2 medium) Course Chopped
2 bay leaves
Salt
Pepper
Herbs
Thyme For Mine | Make it With Me:
2 28oz kitchen cut Roma tomatoes w/ basil
1 29 oz tomato sauce (no salt added)
1 28 oz course ground tomatoes
1 14.5 oz petite diced tomatoes (no salt added)
All of these can measurements are 'about' sizes…if you cannot find the same it will not throw off the recipe!
3-4 tbsp Olive Oil
4-5 Cloves of Garlic (Or… if you are like me and prefer it seeping from your pores…use the whole bulb if it isn't too big!)
1 Large Onion (2 medium) Course Chopped
1 tbsp Smoke Paprika
3 tbsp Thyme
2 tbsp Herbs de Provence
2 tbsp pepper (I love California pepper)
2 bay leaves
1-2 tbsp dried basil
Salt
Pepper
Handful fresh basil chopped
Fresh rosemary & thyme sprigs tied together with twine
1 Bottle of Syrah or medium, dryish red wine (really, you only need about 1/4 - 1/2 cup but why not enjoy the rest while you cook!)
For the secret tip:
3 or so Roma Tomatoes
3-4 Mini Peppers or 1 Large Bell Pepper
Direction Thyme:
1. Chop onion (A medium chop is fine I like my onion like I like my chocolate chip cookies… chunky!)
2. Chop/mince garlic (I love my mini food processor because I'd be chopping for hours with how much I use!)
3. Heat pot on medium low heat
4. Add 1-2 tbsp olive oil
If you want to skip the secret to delicious sauce then hop down to step #11
5. Add Tomatoes & stir them occasionally to flip them and to cook evenly
6. Once tomatoes start to melt down without completely losing shape, take them off and set aside in a bowl to let cool
7. While tomatoes are going, turn a spare burner on to a medium/low flame
8. CAREFULLY place cleaned & dried peppers on the flame. (I am sure our house keeper wonders what the heck I do to my stove every time she comes to clean because inevitably I set the stem on fire….)
9. Using metal tongs turn peppers until each side has a chance on the flame
10. Place in a heat safe container and cover with press n' seal to cool in the fridge
STEP 11
11. Add onion to pot, stir occasionally
12. Add salt & pepper to taste and about 1 tbsp thyme while the onion cooks so it can soak up all that yummy flavor (and you make the house smell amazing)
13. Add garlic once onion begins to soften
14. Add 1-2 tbsp smoked paprika
15. Stir and let the garlic melt down while you waft in the aroma of deliciousness in the making!
16. Add all canned variations of tomato
17. Add remaining Thyme, Herbs de Provence, bay leaves, fresh rosemary & thyme, pepper & salt to taste (this is all to taste and my amounts are estimates) *P.S.A. Do not add the fresh basil--it will not end well for the basil!*
18. Stir all that goodness together and let simmer with the lid off for about 1 hour on the back burner stirring occasionally.
TIP: It is ok if it is boiling and bubbling like a witches brew because it needs to reduce a bit to marry the flavors….however, it should not be boiling, toiling, and bubbling over the pot…if it won't stop move it to a smaller burner on the lowest setting!
19. For those adventurous types that followed the secret tip ingredients now is the time to finish that thought…
20. Remove peppers from the fridge and using a paper towel wipe away the black residue/skin from the peppers
21. Cut the tops off the peppers and remove seeds
22. Add to blender, or food processor, with the roasted tomatoes & puree until smooth TIP: If you have trouble getting it to break down add a little of the sauce to loosen up the mixture
23. Add this puree to the pasta sauce & stir in
24. Add the Syrah, about 1/4 - 1/2 cup depending on how thick the sauce has gotten…you can always add more but by this point that would imply there is any left to add ;-)
25. Let simmer another hour or so until dinner time!
For Serving:
What is great about this pasta sauce is that it is a bit on the thick side. This means it will stretch and last longer if you ladle out what you need and add some of the pasta cooking liquid. I usually do 1 ladle per person which is more than enough for left overs.
1. Ladle appropriate amount into a medium sauce pan over low heat
2. Once the pasta is al dante scoop out the pasta and place it directly into the sauce pan.
3. Reserve 1 cup of the pasta cooking liquid (I follow Rachel Ray and use a coffee mug to dip in the water)
4. Begin combining pasta with sauce add part of the cooking liquid until desired consistency is reached
5. If using one of your yummy balls, add the balls stirring to cover
6. Plate in your favorite dish and serve with fresh basil & parm
Et Voila, the Sunday Funday Pasta Sauce was born. This recipe is one of my personal creations. It was the first recipe I generated from scratch and the base of the recipe has stayed the same over the years. I have updated, changed, added, and subtracted ingredients here or there but again, that is the beauty--make it your own. Don't be scared to play with flavor and spices and keep it fun! If you add too much of something throw another can of tomatoes in and it will compensate for the Oops! Comment below and share how you made your Sunday Funday special!
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