Jan 18, 2018

Chunky Vegetable Pasta Sauce




Seems like it was just yesterday when Chuck said, "You know I feel like something with a tomato in it."  It should, he just said it yesterday and quite frankly most days the man feels like eating something with a tomato in it.  I laugh and think to myself, "Oh, yeah you think you Italians have the tomato market cornered!, Not.  We Southerners have a huge love of tomatoes!  Well, Don't we? 


Why else would we cherish the fresh vine ripened home grown tomatoes so much?  I can't wait and need to home can lots more because for the first time in my life, I've run out of them!  Oh, the horror.  I have to purchase tomatoes.  Cento I like for a good easy substitute. (until ours come in that is.) Chuck is American born with Italian roots so of course he loves them.  

I remember the time I told my daddy about dating Chuck, he said to me and I quote, "What, you dating a 'Mater Masher' ?"  Then he chuckled his famous laugh.  Well, it had only been a few years in his mind that in WWII they fought the Italians.  

Look at me wandering off from the subject! "Southern Thing, Southern Traditions." Food and memories go together.  I don't believe it is all Southern though that is the way it is with most things and people from around the world.

Today I share a sauce that can be made with many vegetables you may have on hand.  The more the merrier I always say when it comes to those.  In pic you will see I made meatballs, you can do that as well or you can just brown the ground beef chuck and mild sweet Italian sausage, if you wish. Heck you can do both as I did if you like.






Ingredients

2 lbs ground beef
1/2 lb sweet ground italian sausage
1 1/2 quarts home canned tomatoes preferably or two 28 oz. cans Cento whole Italian style tomatoes
1/2 - 1 can V 8 juice
4 tablespoons Cerno Double Concentrated Tomato Paste
1 onion chopped
1 cup sweet bell peppers chopped
3/4 cup chopped celery
1 large carrot chopped
1 chopped zucchini (optional)
3 cloves garlic minced

Seasonings
1 tsp. sea salt
1/2 tsp. freshly ground pepper
Pinch red pepper flakes
1-2 tsp. fresh or 1/2 tsp. dried basil
1 tsp fresh or 1/2 tsp dried oregano
1/2 tsp paprika
1 bay leaf
1/4 cup good red wine


This sauce is chunky but not thick.  You will need to cook with lid off the tomatoes with paste on medium low to thicken some.

In a large pot add tomatoes, tomato paste, V-8.  If using Cento tomatoes in can remove and with clean hands squish (for lack of a better word) and mash the tomatoes before adding to the pot.  Simmer on medium low.

Lightly brown to tenderize the carrots, onions, peppers, celery, garlic, remove add this and chopped zucchini if you wish to us to tomato sauce.

Brown ground beef and sausage or make meatball ahead of time to be added to the sauce.
Add Seasonings to sauce.  Cook sauce without lid until desired thickness then lower heat and cover with lid

Note* Add meatballs the last 30 minutes to cooking time to prevent them falling apart. simmer on low heat until done.

Serve over your favorite pasta today I used Garofalo Farfalle Pasta. (love it!)
on this day we had Italian homemade Pasta from our Johnny knows one of the family from Italy.


                   CENTO                                                  GAROFALO FARFALLE PASTA

      CENTO ITALIAN STYLE                        AMAZON                                GAROFALO US




Enjoy!








2 comments:

  1. That sounds really good, Dolly. Similar to mine but a bit different, too. I would never have thought to add zucchini to the mix. I made a big pot of spaghetti sauce on Tuesday and we finished the leftovers tonight. lol I sometimes make enough so that I can get a pan of lasagna out of it, too. xo Diana

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    Replies
    1. Hey Diana, I sure don't always add the zucchini but do on occasion...guess I'm ditzy as my mom Dot. She would add strange things to recipes..Oh lasagna I want some now just hearing you talk about it! xoxo Dolly

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