Sausage Spaghetti Sauce
Ingredients:
1 lb. Sweet Italian Sausage
2 Large Onions medium thickness slices
4 Cloves Garlic - peeled and cut into chunks
1 Small Carrot - peeled and coarsely grated or cut into small pieces
2 Cans Tomatoes (28 oz.) - 1 diced and 1 whole plum
3 Medium Bay Leaves
Sea Salt (1/2 t.)/Ground Pepper
Additional dry spices: 1/2 t. Oregano, 1/4 t Thyme, 1/2 t. Parsley for fresh spices double amount
Procedure:
1. Put a 9" enamel cast iron pot on the stove top, turn heat to high and cut open sausage casings so ground sausage is in the pan. Let start to sizzle and just barely cover with water, letting boil for 5 minutes. Drain water leaving suasage in the pot, add Olive Oil to cover bottom and fry sausage until barely browned.
2. Add onion and cook until translucent. This can be done at high heat if pressed for time but requires vigilance and frequent turning, otherwise use medium heat which allows for more margin of error. When onion is translucent add and cook carrots for a couple of minutes. Add garlic and cook for 30 to 60 seconds until garlic releases its odor.
3. Add liquid from tomatos but only enough so mixture continues to boil. Add 1/3 of a can at a time maintaining boil until both cans have been emptied into cast iron pot. Add bay leaves approximately 1/2 t. sea salt and just slightly less ground pepper. Cover and keep at medium simmer for additional 45 minutes.
4. Letting sauce cook for 1 1/2 to 2 hours will result in better taste but if pressed for time 45 minutes will do. (Reheating after refrigerating overnight also improves taste and texture.) When you are ready to eat cook the pasta in a separate large pot of boiling water. At this time remove the bay leaves and add the oregano, thyme and parsley to the sauce. Delicate spices usually do not need more than 15 minutes cooking time. I sometimes add Olive Oil as well to suit my mood for a richer sause. To sample dip thumb size cubes of dry bread in sauce.
For a complete meal serve with pizza dough bread and a light green like a simple salad, steamed brocoli, raw carrot peeled and thin sliced with a few drops of lemon juice to increase vitamin absorption, celery stalks or cold cooked beets.
