Red Wine Italian Sausage Pasta Sauce

Ingredients

• 28 ounces tomato sauce (use a good sauce such as Furmano's)
• 3/4 cup onion, chopped fine or 1 small onion
• 3-4 garlic cloves, chopped or 2-3 tablespoons store bought minced garlic
• 1/2 cup green pepper, chopped
• 1 medium size tomato, chopped
• 3-4 Italian sausages, pre-cooked and chopped in food processor (sweet or hot, your preference)
• 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
• 1/4 cup dry red wine (a good one that you will drink)
• 3/4 cup water
• 2-3 bay leaves
• 2-3 tablespoons dried Italian herb seasoning (oregano, basil, parsley, thyme mixture)
• 2 teaspoons fennel seeds
• 1/4 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper
• 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1 pinch sugar

Directions

1. 1

   In a large non-stick skillet with a lid, add the olive oil and warm over medium heat, allow oil to heat for approximately 2 minutes. Add chopped onion and green pepper – cook for about 2-3 minutes or until onion is soft and you can see thru it, stir for even cooking. Add chopped/minced garlic – stir and continue to simmer thru for another 2 minutes. Add dry seasonings, chopped tomato, and chopped Italian sausage. Stir all and cook for another 2 minutes then add the ¼-cup dry red wine and stir all together – add fennel seed, & black pepper – cook another 2 minutes longer. Next, add the tomato sauce and water, bay leaves, salt and sugar – stir all and cover with lid, allow to cook on medium until mixture begins to slow boil, then remove lid – stir again, cover and turn heat to a low simmer, allowing to cook for several hours or until ready to serve with pasta.

2. 2

   Allowing sauce to slow cook for at least 2-3 hours makes for a more robust sauce ~ serve with al dente pasta, a good crusty Italian bread (ciabatta for example), freshly grated Italian cheese (a good quality aged Pecorino Romano – made from sheeps or goats milk is best, never cow’s milk), & your favorite red wine (our favorite is a good cabernet). Sauce is also better the next day, so – as a time saver make this sauce up a day ahead, allow to cool thoroughly before refrigerating, then serve the next night for dinner.