The Kitchen Counter Cooking School (47 page)

BOOK: The Kitchen Counter Cooking School

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Easy Spaghetti Sauce

Less expensive, tastier, and healthier than most jars of pasta sauce, this can be made in roughly the time it takes to boil pasta and toss a quick salad. As a bonus, you can add fresh or leftover vegetables or other flavorings. This also makes a terrific pizza sauce.

SERVES 4 WITH PASTA

4 tablespoons olive oil

onion, finely chopped (about

cup)
1

teaspoons dried mixed Italian herbs
3 garlic cloves, chopped
One 14-ounce can tomato sauce
Pinch of red pepper flakes (optional)

cup water
1 bay leaf
Coarse salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar (optional)

In a saucepan over medium heat, warm the oil, then cook the onion and herbs until tender. Add the garlic, stir, and cook for 1 minute. Add the tomato sauce, red pepper flakes, water, and bay leaf, plus a couple of pinches of coarse salt and a few cranks of black pepper. Bring just to a boil, and then immediately lower the heat to a simmer. Cook, uncovered, on low heat for 15 minutes. Add the vinegar, if using, and cook an additional 2 minutes. Taste and adjust the seasonings. Remove the bay leaf before serving.

Consider adding the following:

About

cup green and/or black olives with the onions for a
puttanesca-style sauce
Handful of finely chopped mushrooms with the onions
Red wine in place of the water just before simmering for a
cabernet-style sauce
A tablespoon or two of chopped fresh herbs, such as basil, oreg-
ano, or parsley, at the very end of cooking
About

pound cooked hamburger or cubed chicken with the
onions
3 tablespoons vodka and

cup cream 5 minutes before the end of
cooking

Pomodoro (Fresh Tomato Sauce)

Be sure to have the pasta cooking and all the ingredients ready before starting the sauce; this is ready more quickly than you'd expect. Flavorful fresh tomatoes make all the difference here; cherry tomatoes work especially well and they're available year-round. Just cut them in half. Carefully scoop out a bit of the pasta water to finish the sauce.

MAKES ENOUGH FOR ABOUT 4 SIDE PORTIONS OR 2 MAIN-DISH SERVINGS

8 ounces dried pasta, such as penne or linguine, or 12 ounces
fresh pasta
Coarse salt
1 tablespoon olive oil
2 to 3 garlic cloves, minced
About 12 ounces tomatoes, chopped

cup Parmesan cheese, grated
Pinch or two of hot pepper flakes
Handful of chopped parsley or basil
Freshly ground black pepper to taste

Boil water for the pasta. Add at least 1 tablespoon of salt to the water; it should taste slightly salty. Cook the pasta according to the package directions; reserve about