Take a long afternoon to simmer this rich and savory blend of tomatoes, onions, garlic, basil, oregano, bay leaves, white sugar, red wine and as much red pepper as your taste buds crave. You could add sausages towards the end, or not, as you wish.
INGREDIENTS (for 6 servings):
- 1 onion, chopped
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 (28 ounce) can whole peeled tomatoes
- 2 (6 ounce) cans tomato paste
- 2 tablespoons dried basil
- 1 tablespoon dried oregano
- 2 bay leaves
- 1 tablespoon white sugar
- 1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
- 1/4 cup red wine
- 1 pound Italian sausage (optional)
PREPARATION:
Heat olive oil in a large saucepan or Dutch oven. Saute onions and garlic until tender, 2-3 minutes. Add remaining ingredients (except sausage links) and simmer over low heat for 3 hours.
With one hour cooking time remaining, cook and brown sausages in a skillet. When browned, place in sauce and continue to simmer. Remove bay leaves before serving. Serve over hot cooked noodles, with sausages on the side.