Ragu, Be gone!

Earlier in the week, I asked my followers on Twitter to throw some ideas my way on what subject matter I should use for my next blog post. Since I'm *incredibly* popular on that website, I received one, measly suggestion: Spaghetti. (Thank you @mumbleguy)

Seeing how I AM Italian and I LOVE pasta (<------ redundant), coming up with something to write on spaghetti was as natural for me as changing a diaper with one hand while vacuuming with the other: A RECIPE.

If you can spare a few dollars, have mostly functioning hands and enjoy a bowl of pasta with red sauce, there is absolutely no reason why you should be using sauce out of jar. I am here to save my blog readers (you two can thank me later) from sauce that taste like it came from Chef BARFadee. I give you the easiest & quickest homemade spaghetti sauce ever. Also known as......... well.....

Just Spaghetti Sauce.

Ingredients Needed:


Extra Virgin Olive Oil


Diced Onion


Crushed Red Pepper


Salt


Chopped Garlic


Italian Seasoning


28 oz Crushed Tomatoes


FRESH Basil


Optional Ingredients:

Diced Tomatoes


Green Chiles


Italian Sausage


Bell Peppers


Other Vegetables


Other Seasonings


Other Meat


Other Anything That Might be Appetizing in Homemade Spaghetti Sauce







The Process (approx. 15 minutes)


Step Numero Uno

Retrieve your very best knife. If you do not have a decent knife in your kitchen, please add 60 - 80 minutes to the quoted time above, as you will spend that time sawing your onion into bite size pieces.

With your super fabulous knife, dice however much onion your little heart desires. For my family, it is roughly half an onion.

Step 2

Drizzle a good amount of olive oil into your skillet. If you have problems "drizzling" you need one of these spouts:

Step C

Dump your diced onion into the pan which should be over a medium level fire so that your Olive Oil is pre-heated. If you don't like crunchy onions, you better saute the hell out of those tear-inducing babies right now. If you intend on adding other vegetables or other meats also do so now....... Ill wait.

Next Step

Add desired seasonings: Crushed Red Peppers, Salt, Italian Seasoning and "other seasonings" as listed above. Don't ask me how much, let your intuitions lead you.

If you would like to saute your garlic in the olive oil you should add it at this point and let it heat momentarily. Be sure not to let it burn, or else you'll have bitter garlic. And let's face it, if your garlic tastes like crap, what's the point? I mean REALLY!

Your spaghetti sauce should look something like this:

Step Cuatro

Carefully pour in your ginormous can of crushed tomatoes. If you'd prefer your garlic to loan a more potent taste to your pasta sauce, NOW would be the time to add it. I'd tell you how many cloves to use but in this house we just judge it on how horrid our breath smells after dinner and then adjust accordingly.

*** On a side note, I may or may not have used already chopped garlic from the produce section at our local grocery store.But don't tell my dad's side of the family. ***

The Grand Finale!

Tear in your FRESH Basil (it makes a difference!) and simmer until your spaghetti sauce has reached your desired temperature. Let's make sure it doesn't come to a boil, because then it will start to splatter all over your white tiled countertops and your husband will have to scrub the grout a week later when he's cleaning the kitchen to get himself out of the dog house........

On second thought, let it splatter.

Just sayin'.

Here's a picture of my FRESH Basil in my easiest & quickest spaghetti sauce ever:

While your sauce is simmering, feel free to bake your garlic bread, compose and boil your fresh pasta, prepare ingredients for a farm fresh salad and mix your own Balsamic Vinagairette. What?! Not everybody does that on spaghetti night??

Ok... me neither.

Throw a ladle of that yummy Italian goodness over a hot pasta of your choice and you've got dinner!

MANGIA, MANGIA!!