A Taste of Italia

I truly feel that in some other life I must’ve been Italian. My lifelong love affair with Italian food has my hips in complete jealousy and my stomach in complete bliss. Although I’m an absolute sucker for a rich cream sauce, a good tomato based sauce is a must for ones recipe stash. This recipe is simple yet delicious and is a must try! You can add your favourite protein or use it as is over your favourite noodles. For those of you who need some protein inspo and guidance, not to fear, Ro is here! I’ll certainly be adding the scoop for my family favourites ASAP... promise! Until then ‘bueno appetito’.

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INGREDIENTS:

• 52 oz crushed tomatoes

• 12 oz tomato paste

• 1 1/2 chicken broth*

• 2 tbsp sugar

• 1 tbsp olive oil

• 2 tbsp butter, unsalted

• 6 cloves garlic, minced

• 1 1/2 tsp basil (2 sprigs, fresh)

• 4 bay leaves

• 1 tsp oregano

• 1 1/2 tsp salt

• 1 tsp black pepper

• 1 onion, diced

• 2 large carrots, diced

• 1 large bell pepper, diced

• 2 stalks celery, diced

• 1 whole scotch bonnet** (DO NOT CUT OR PUNCTURE THE PEPPER!!!)

*You can substitute the 1/2 cup of chicken broth with 1 cup of very dry white wine with a high acidity level. I usually use a Pinot Grigio simply because it’s my preference to drink but a Sauvignon Blanc would work wonderfully as well.

**The purpose of the pepper is to give a subtle hint of spice. Due to the long simmer time, if the pepper is cut or punctured, the heat will over power your pot and drown out the other flavours.

1. Heat olive oil over medium high heat.

2. Add butter when pan is very hot (not burning! We want the butter to sizzle not to burn)

3. Add onion & sauté for approximately 3 to 5 minutes. Add the carrots, bell pepper, and celery; allow to cook for an additional 2 minutes then add garlic.

4. Allow garlic to cook until fragrant (approximately 1 to 2 minutes).

5. IF USING WINE: Add the wine alone first and allow to reduce by half before adding the remaining liquids.)

6. Add the remaining ingredients and allow to simmer for 45 minutes to 1.5 hours.

The quantity of this recipe is excellent for storing. You can store in mason jars or freeze in freezer sauce containers/ziploc bags. If not using a mason jar I personally prefer a ziploc bag because it’s much easier to thaw. For those who want to use mason jars I’ll create a how to guide soon, promise.

Please be sure to like/comment and share pictures if you make this recipe.