Salsa Di Pomodoro

Ingredients

• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1/4 cup onion, chopped or 1 tablespoon onion powder
• 1 garlic clove, minced (to taste) or 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder (to taste)
• 16 ounces tomato paste
• 3 cups water
• 2 teaspoons salt
• 1/4-1/2 teaspoon pepper
• 1 teaspoon dried oregano
• 1 teaspoon dried basil
• 1 bay leaf
• 2 teaspoons sugar
• 3 tablespoons dry red wine (optional)

Directions

1. 1

   Saute onions and garlic in olive oil over medium heat.

2. 2

   Add the rest of the ingredients. Add meatballs if you wish at this point.

3. 3

   Bring sauce to a boil. Simmer 2-3 hours to mix the flavors.

4. 4

   NOTE: This can also be made by placing everything in your slow cooker and simmering all day. This is how I made it. I would recommend sauteing the onions and garlic first. A triple batch filled my BIG (6 qt, I think) crockpot.

5. 5

   TO FREEZE: Let sauce cool to room temperature, then pour into a labeled freezer bag. Seal, trying to get rid of as much air as possible in the process, and freeze flat. You can freeze with meatballs in or without.

6. 6

   TO REHEAT: Thaw overnight in the fridge, or in the microwave, or in a bowl of warm water (still sealed in the bag), or just dump in a crockpot or pot on the stove frozen and warm gently.