Basic Red Sauce

It's been a rainy week here in Central PA, which always encourages me to cook.  I love the smell of sauce simmering, especially when it's dark and dreary outside.  This is just a basic red sauce, a place from where you can start and customize to your own tastes.

Here's what you'll need:
1 28-32 oz can crushed tomatoes
1 TBSP bacon fat (or olive oil)
1 small onion, chopped
salt & pepper
2-3 cloves garlic, minced (about 1 TBSP)
2 tsp dried oregano*
2 tsp dried basil*
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp black pepper
1/4 c chopped fresh parsley
1/4 c Parmesan cheese, grated

Heat the bacon fat (or oil) in a large sauce pan over medium heat.

Add the onion.  Season with salt and pepper.  Cook until the onions are tender, 3-5 minutes.  Add the garlic and cook til fragrant, 1-2 minutes more.

Add the crushed tomatoes.  I prefer crushed tomatoes to tomato sauce because it gives more body, texture, to the final sauce.  Stir in the oregano, basil, salt and pepper.  (*You can use fresh oregano and basil, but you'll need to use about 3 times as much.  Also, they don't need much cooking, so you would just add them toward the very end of cooking).

Bring to a boil.  Reduce to a simmer.  Cover and allow to simmer a minimum 30-40 minutes. I often cook it longer because it really intensifies the flavors, but it's ready to eat in about 30 minutes.

When ready to serve, stir in the parsley and Parmesan.

Makes 4 cups, and freezes well.

Enjoy!