Red Wine Sunday 10/25/09

Red Wine Sunday's have been a tradition in my family for as long as I can remember. The definition of a Red Wine Sunday is as follows:
1. It takes place on a Sunday
2. The family gathers at my parents house
3. Italian tomato sauce is bubbling on the stove
4. Depending on the season either Golf, Baseball or Football in on the Living Room TV
5. Red Wine is opened in enough time to let it breathe
6. Pre-meal beverage is usually 1 glass of white wine served with some nuts
7. My Mom prepares and serves a phenomenal Italian meal (with Red Wine of course)

Now that we have gotten that out of the way, onto yesterday's meal. It's fitting that yesterday's RWS was very traditional. We had Spaghetti with Tomato Sauce (with Sausage) and a Salad. In the photo above, you will notice that their are 2 bowls of pasta (1 gluten-free, 1 traditional).

The RWS tradition stemmed from my Dad's side of the family. My grandmother Louise and great-grandmother Antoinette were both 100% Italian and great cooks to boot. The traditional recipe for Red sauce has been adapted a bit over the years, but every bit as delicious.

Red Sauce:

Ingredients:
3 Cans Whole Peeled Tomatoes (Buy San Marzano tomatoes from Italy)
1 Can Tomato Puree
1/2 Yellow Onion (diced)
3 Tbsp Olive Oil
4 Garlic Cloves (minced)
1/2- 1 Tbsp Oregano
5 Basil leaves (optional)
1 lb Mix of Sweet and Hot Italian Sausage (links)
Salt & Pepper to taste

1. Heat a large soup pot on medium and add olive oil. Add onions and cook until almost translucent. Add Garlic and cook for another 2 minutes. Do not let the garlic burn.
2. Add in the 4 cans of tomato (break up the whole tomatoes with a knife, potato masher or your hands prior to putting them in the pot).
3. Sear Italian sausage in a saute pan for a couple minutes on each side until brown. This seals in the juices. Once complete, add sausage to pot (pick up with a metal tongs and drop in one by one).
3. Add oregano, salt & pepper to the pot. A little goes along way.
4. Bring the sauce back to a boil then reduce heat to low and let simmer for 4 hours or so. If sauce gets too thick, you can add a little water.
5. At the end, you can throw in the basil leaves for a couple minutes to add some freshness to the pot.
6. Serve with your favorite pasta.