SUNDAY PASTA SAUCE

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Sunday Pasta Sauce ~

(Inspired by the Italians who make Sunday Gravy and the Naked Chef…he used parsnip and pancetta once and my brother Brad and I got hooked!)

  • One package Turkey Italian Sausage
  • One package Hot turkey Italian Sausage
  • 1 can tomato paste
  • ½ onion
  • 2 stalks celery chopped
  • 3 carrots chopped
  • 1 T Olive oil
  • 1 parsnip Julienne slices
  • 2 zucchini julienne sliced
  • 1 whole green pepper julienne sliced
  • Sliced crimini mushrooms
  • One large and one small jar canned tomatoes, or sauce – approximately 40 oz.
  • ½ c white wine
  • Fresh oregano to taste – I use my homegrown Sicilian oregano
  • 2 c of chopped greens
  • Fist full of parsley
  • Fist full of cilantro
  • One bunch green onions cleaned and chopped
  • ½ package frozen peas
  • ½ t red pepper or to taste
  • Salt 
  • Pepper

Remove casings from sausage and brown with the can of tomato paste.  Yesum…do it that way.  Set aside.

Sauté onion, celery, carrot in 1 T. olive oil.

Add the rest of vegetables: parsnip, green pepper and mushrooms.  Sauté until it all looks good and smells good, to al dente.  Add the oregano and ‘bloom’ it (heat it through so it awakens and shares its fragrance with you and the veggies in the pan)

Add the sauce, wine, and cook down until it begins to thicken.  This will take differing times depending on the tomatoes you use.  Home canned and canned/chopped tomatoes take longer than using prepared sauces. When the sauce loses its raw and watery look and begins to have a sheen, add the parsley, cilantro, greens, green onions, red pepper, salt and black pepper and more oregano if it needs a bit more. Then add the peas last.  Warm it through.  

Serve with pasta and cheeses of your choice.

Megan and Dave were so so happy.  So was I.  She asked for the recipe…here it is….