I’m a big believer in having kids learn how to cook. It is so important to cook instead of ordering take-out or fast food. Not only are you eating healthier, it is costing you a lot less! With back to school fast approaching, I thought I’d post this sauce. The start of the school season also means that there are kids out there who will be living on their own for the first time, and in some cases, cooking their first meal.
This is one of my favourite spaghetti sauces. It is also super easy and really tasty – much better than opening a can of jarred pasta sauce. It is easy on the wallet and makes leftovers. You can use ground beef, but I find that the sausage adds an extra layer of flavour.
Prep time is very little, but to really let the flavours develop, you have to give it a bit of time to simmer.
Prep time: 5 minutes; Cook time: 15 minutes + 1-hour simmering time Serves: 4
What you need:
- 375 g Italian sausage mild or hot, de-cased (I used hot Italian sausage that was already de-cased – you can also use ground beef)
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 medium onion, diced
- 796 ml can crushed tomatoes
- 1/2 cup red wine (students on budgets, you can omit this or use 1/4 cup red wine vinegar)
- 1 tbsp dried basil
- 1 tbsp dried oregano
- 1/2 tbsp olive oil (optional)
- 454 g spaghetti, cooked (follow the instructions on the package)
- salt, pepper
What you do:
- In a large saucepan over a medium-high heat, add de-cased sausage
- Cook for several minutes, breaking up the sausage with the back of your spoon until it is not lumpy and is cooked through
- Add olive oil if desired (I usually just use the fat from the sausage, but if you buy ground sausage that is already de-cased, sometimes it is not as fatty), onions and garlic and cook until they start to get light in colour
- Add the basil and oregano, stir for a minute
- Add the red wine, stir, scrape up any bits on the bottom of the pan and cook until the wine has almost disappeared in the pan (you can also omit the wine or use red wine vinegar)
- (At this stage, you can also put the mixture into a slow cooker then add the tomatoes, put your slow cooker on low for 6+ hours and make this a dinner while you work.)
- Add the tomatoes and stir
- Bring to a boil and then reduce to simmer (about 20 minutes in, put your water on to boil and cook your spaghetti)
- Cook for 1 hour on simmer, stirring often, give it a taste and add salt and pepper
- Serve over cooked spaghetti
- Top with grated parmesan cheese
Dinner Reboot: The leftover sauce also makes a good cheater pizza sauce. Want a quick pizza? Spread in on plain nan bread, puff pastry, pita bread or even an English muffin and top with shredded mozzarella cheese (and any other topping you may want – mushrooms, peppers), cook in the oven on a baking sheet for at 400 F for about 15 minutes until the bottom is brown and the cheese is bubbly.
Hey students, looking for more recipes? Check out the “Cooking for Students” section. You can find it under the food category on the menu bar.
