Spaghetti is one of the few recipes that I absolutely know everyone in my house will not only eat, but happily sit at the dinner table until everything is gone. This one is fairly complicated and I generally make it over the course of two days because I roast my own tomatoes. You could very easily buy canned or jarred tomatoes to reduce the work, but I find using a high quality olive oil, fresh garlic and herbs and a couple of trays of on-the-fine tomatoes really improves the taste. Or maybe i just like the smell of fresh roasted tomatoes.
I generally make a double batch and freeze at least half of it so we can enjoy an easy meal or two throughout the month.
Fresh Roasted Tomatoes
**You can skip this step and just use 28 oz of canned or jarred tomatoes if you like. I really love to roast my own tomatoes, partially because it tastes better and partially because it makes my house smell like an Italian restaurant for days after I roast them.
I generally roast these a day prior to making the sauce, as this is time consuming (but oh, so worth it!).
Ingredients
- 4-5 lbs of fresh tomatoes.
- 1-2 heads of garlic, depending on how much you like
- 1 bunch Basil torn into pieces
- Italian Herbs (dried or fresh)
- Extra Virgin Olive Oil – if you are in the Bay Area, I suggest Sigonas Farms in Redwood City)
- Salt
- Pepper
Preparation
- Slice tomatoes into half inch thick slices and place in a mixing bowl.
- In a bowl, mix tomatoes with olive oil, salt (I use sea salt, but be careful because it’s easy to add too much), pepper, fresh or dried herbs (basil, oregano, Herbs de Provence, Italian seasoning), fresh chopped garlic.
- Roast for 40 minutes.
When cool enough to handle, blend in a food processor or blender
Store tomatoes in the refrigerator until ready to coo
The Sauce
Ingredients
1 onion, chopped
4 carrots, peeled and thinly sliced
4 celery ribs, thinly sliced1.5 lbs sweet italian sausage, casings removed
1 – 1.5 lbs ground beef
2 tbsp Italian seasoning
4 tbsp tomato paste
1 cup red wine
32 oz chicken stock
4 bay leaves
Salt
Pepper
Olive Oil
1 cup heavy cream or 1 cup of crème fraîche
2 cups parmesan cheese, shredded
**Note: I generally make this in two pots, as it makes A LOT of sauce. I freeze half of it for later use, but you could also cut this recipe in half fairly easily.
Preparation
In a dutch oven or large pot, heat olive oil until hot. Then add onion and garlic; cook for about five more minutes. Add carrots and celery and cook for another 5-7 minutes. Salt and pepper to taste.
Add sausage and ground beef to the pot and cook until no longer pink (about 10 minutes). Then add Italian seasoning and tomato paste. Cook for a minute or two, mixing well.
Add the wine and let the mixture simmer until the wine has been mostly absorbed. This is a good time to drain off some of the fat.
Add the roasted or canned tomatoes to the meat and vegetable mixture and stir. Then add the chicken stock and bay leaves. Bring to a boil, then simmer the sauce for 30 minutes to three hours.
Taste the sauce and add herbs, salt and pepper to taste. Then turn off the heat and add the crème fraîche or heavy cream and parmesan cheese. Stir well and serve over desired pasta.
Serve pasta with fresh parmesan cheese and basil. A Ceasar salad and garlic bread make great side dishes!
Bon appétit !