Mom's veggie and tomato pasta sauce

1 batch

Ingredients

Quantity Ingredient
1 bunch Broccoli (2 or 3 stalks)
½ cup Olive oil (more if needed)
2 cloves Garlic, minced
2 mediums Onions, chopped
1 Green bell pepper, chopped
1 medium Carrot, chopped
1 Zucchini, chopped
1 can Tomato paste, 6-ounce
1 can Tomato sauce, 8-ounce
1 can Italian tomatoes, 16-ounce
1 small Hot chili pepper, minced
1 teaspoon Dried oregano
1 teaspoon Dried rosemary
Salt & black pepper to taste

Directions

Particularly welcomed by the health-conscious when served on whole wheat spaghetti. For a smooth, velvety sauce, finely chop the vegetables and eook the sauce at least 2 hours. Coarser chopping and shorter cooking make a chunkier sauce. Either way, it's a hearty dinner.

Cut off and discard tough bottom stems of broccoli. Peel and chop remaining stems, cut tops into small florettes, and chop leaves. Set aside.

Heat 5 tablespoons oil in large skillet or Dutch oven. Add garlic, onions and pepper and cook 7 to 8 minutes to brown. Remove to bowl with slotted spoon. Cook carrot and zucchini 5 minutes and remove to bowl. Drain oil from bowl back into skillet. Add broccoli and more oil if needed. Cook 8 to 10 minutes, and add to bowl. Add 3 tablespoons oil and then the tomato paste. Cook about 5 minutes, stirrmg occasionally. The paste should turn from bright red to a dark, brownish red. Turn heat to low. Stir in tomato sauce, tomatoes and seasonmg, while breaking up tomatoes with a wooden spoon. Retum cooked vegetables to skillet. Cover and cook over low heat for 1 to 3 hours, stirring occasionally to prevent sticking. Gamish with grated cheese, if desired.

The secret of a full-bodied, old-fashioned brownish-red tomato sauce is thorough, patient browning of vegetables and tomato sauce in generous amounts of oil.

Adding a few drops of olive oil to the boiling water when cookmg pasta will help keep the water from boiling over. ** Mom's recipe card file **

Posted by The WEE Scot -- paul macGregor Submitted By PAUL MACGREGOR On 10-22-95

Related recipes