I love making a scratch pasta sauce but this isn't that kind of recipe! If you're in a hurry, I find that if you build flavour when using jarred tomato sauce, it ends up being really darn good! Ready in about 30 minutes, this recipe tastes rich and flavourful. Make a jarred sauce better and serve over fresh pasta if desired.
Ingredients
drizzle of oil (olive if you have it)
2 tbsp oil from can of anchovies
2-3 anchovy fillets
1 onion, medium diced
4-5 garlic cloves, minced
bay leaf
1 tbsp Montreal Steak seasoning
1-2 tsp oregano, dried
1-2 tsp thyme, dried
1 tsp rosemary, dried
1 tsp fennel, crushed, dried
1 tsp basil, dried
8 oz mushrooms, diced
2 tsp Worcestershire sauce
2 oz red wine
1 beef bouillon cube
24-28 oz pasta sauce, jarred
14 oz can diced tomatoes, drained
pinch sugar
tt salt and pepper
fresh basil, etc
Instructions
Read Susie's Tips and Tricks below
1. In a large wide mouth pot add neutral oil, anchovy oil. Break up the fillet. Let the onions and garlic soften. Add seasonings: Bay leaf, Montreal seasoning, oregano, thyme, rosemary, fennel, and basil.
2. At this point, you may add mushrooms if desired. Let the mushrooms slough off their water to dry out and caramelize. Now add Worcestershire and red wine; cook off a bit and deglaze the pan.
3. Add the bouillon cube, pasta sauce, diced tomatoes, and sugar. Let simmer 10 minutes. Taste and re-season as desired. Garnish with fresh herbs.
Susie's Tips and Tricks
If you prefer, you can omit the anchovies, but honestly, you won't notice them in your sauce. They give a nice earthy rich flavour. I freeze half of the remaining tin.
Want some spice? Add red pepper flakes with the herbs and spices.
Be careful, Worcestershire is salty; however, it gives that umami flavour - a rich, savory taste.
You may use a Garlic and Herb seasoning rather than Montreal. Montreal chicken seasoning is a milder, more all-purpose seasoning mix.
Dried herbs are used in the beginning of this recipe to help develop the flavours. Dried basil is hit or miss in recipes. I use it anyway; and of course, end with fresh.
I prefer Cremini (also known as Portabello) mushrooms, but use what you have.
If you want to avoid sugar, you could add a 2" piece of carrot (with the onions) to help cut some of the acidity of the tomatoes.
Don't like mushrooms? You could add some fresh spinach (roughly chopped) at the end of simmering and add an extra 14 oz can of diced tomatoes, drained.
I avoid buying sauce with mushrooms or meat; I find the taste and texture to be off putting.
If your particular tomato sauce is thin, you can add 2 - 4 tbsp of tomato paste. It should thicken upon simmering (about 5 minutes).
Avoid fire-roasted tomatoes, they tend to be rather sweet.
If desired, add 1 lb Italian sausage right after the onions and garlic. Break apart to bite-size pieces.
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