Spaghetti Sauce

Jullian Pexton
Note: This really is truely the BEST spaghetti recipe that I have found. I just pan fry some hamburger meat and some saugage and then add it to the recipe. It makes a ton so I always seperate it into tonights meal and 2 or three others (depends on how hungry you are). Just a hint- it does take a while to make because there are a lot of steps so make it early in the morning and than let it sit until you are ready to eat it. The longer it sets the better it becomes and the thicker it becomes. I also only add about a 1/4 to a 1/2 of the water they said to add to it. I like mine really thick.

Oregano
1 Bay Leaf
Sweet Basil
Fresh Parsley
Garlic Powder
(1) Vidalia Onion (...not too large but bigger than medium)
Salt/Pepper
Garlic, Lots of Garlic!
Cajun Seasoning - Just a dash (any spicy Cajun seasoning will do)
Olive Oil (recommend "Filippo BERIO Olive Oil" imported from Italy)
Sugar (your gonna add just a little bit later on during the cooking)
(2) 28 oz. Tomato Sauce (preferably "Hunt's")
(2) 6 oz. Tomato Paste (preferably "Hunt's")
(2) 16 oz. Diced Tomatoes (preferably "Hunt's" and if you can get it, you want the "petite" diced)
Red Wine
(A good Sauce pan at lease 10" diameter and 12" deep (Make sure you have a quality pan, cheap pans have a very thin bottom which tends to burn whatever it is you are cooking. A good quality sauce pan has a very thick bottom to it, this is much better for things that you have to cook for a long time such as sauces and soups.)
Water (you will be adding approximately 34 oz. of water along the way during the cooking process, this is an important step so pay attention. Don't worry, it will evaporate out....

First...Put enough olive oil in the pan to just barely cover the bottom. You want to have enough oil where the garlic can soak a little bit. Next...Chop up (3) Large cloves of garlic as fine as you can. Next...Add the garlic to the oil. Do not heat the pan up yet, just let the garlic sit there and bathe in the olive oil for a bit, this will help get the garlic flavor into the oil. Next...While the garlic is bathing in the olive oil, chop up (1) large Vidalia onion as fine as you can.Next...Heat the oil and garlic - medium heat. Heat until you see little bubbles around the garlic. (DO NOT OVER COOK THE GARLIC) When you see the little bubbles around the garlic add the chopped up onions and lower the heat to medium low. Be sure to do this as soon as you see the little bubbles around the edges of the garlic ~ This is Important!

Next...Simmer at low heat, the oil, garlic and onions for about 5 minutes. While the onion, garlic and oil are simmering add 1 tsp. Oregano, 1/2 tsp. Sweet Basil, a dash of Salt and Pepper and mix well.Next...Spoon in (1) 6 oz. can of Tomato Paste. Fill this 6 oz. tomato paste can with water, stir it up good to get all the paste off the inside of the can and add it to the pan. Turn the heat back up to medium. Mix well until paste is consistent throughout. Simmer for about 4 minutes. (Be sure to stir the sauce constantly for these 4 minutes) I call this Italian Roux. At this point you should add a touch of salt, black pepper and 1/2 tsp. of Oregano.Next...Add (2) 16 oz. can of Diced Tomatoes. Fill (1) of these 16 oz. cans with water about 1/2 full, stir it up good to get all the tomato out of it then add it to the pan. Mix well and simmer for 10 more minutes. Stir constantly. While simmering add 1 tsp. Oregano (yes, again), 1/2 tsp. Sweet Basil, 1-1/2 tsp. fresh chopped Parsley, just a dash of Cajun Seasoning 1/2 tsp. Garlic Powder and a dash of course black pepper.Next...Add the second 6 oz. Tomato Paste. Fill this 6 oz. tomato paste can with water, stir it up good to get all the paste off the inside of the can and add it to the pan. Mix well and heat for another 15 minutes or so. At this point you should add a little salt and pepper. The heat should be set to medium heat, the sauce should not be boiling, if boiling turn down heat just a little. Also be sure to stir sauce every minute or so, you don't want anything sticking to the bottom of the pan in this part of the sauce making process. :-) Make sure the paste is mixed in well. When you add the tomato paste at this point, it's going to clump together, get a wooden spoon and squeeze the paste up against the side of the pan to mix the paste in well with the sauce.

Next...Add (2) 28 oz. cans of Tomato Puree' ("Hunts") or Tomato Sauce ("Progresso"). Mix well. Fill (1) of the 28 oz. cans up with water about 1/2 full, then add this to the sauce. Add 1 tsp. Oregano (yes, again), Important note about adding Oregano and Sweet Basil, when adding this to the sauce, pour the tsp full in the palm or your hand and with your other hand rub hard to grind up the seasoning, this brings out the flavor a little more. 1 tsp. Parsley, (3) dashes of Sweet Basil and (3) dashes of Garlic Powder. Mix well. Keep at medium heat and cover pan. Be sure the sauce is not at a rapid boil. A little boiling is OK but not too much. Heat should be at medium or lower. You want to keep the medium heat on the sauce while you make the Meat Balls.OK, if you have been doing the math, you should have added by now a grand total of approximately 48 oz. of water. Actually this does not have to be exact, can be more or less. Don't forget to keep stirring the sauce every 3 minutes or so.

Next...Add 1/3 cup red wine and mix well. Let simmer (almost boiling) for about 15 minutes. Stirring occasionally.At this point in your culinary adventure you will want to drop in (1) Bay Leaf, mix this sauce well after dropping in the bay leaf. Just let the sauce simmer (not boiling). Add (2) Tsp's of sugar. Sprinkle this in slowly while you're stirring the sauce. Mix the sauce well after adding the sugar. Ok - just let it cook some more... Simmer for 1-3 hours until desired thickness is achieved.