TRADITIONAL RED SAUCE AND PASTA (Recipe included)

TRADITIONAL RED SAUCE AND PASTA

INGREDIENTS:

2 LBS GROUND CHUCK (80/20)

4 IBS ITALIAN SAUSAGE LINKS (COMBINATION HOT AND SWEET)

1 SMALL JAR MINCED GARLIC OR 3 CLOVES FRESH GARLIC

3 LARGE SWEET ONIONS

1 16OZ. JAR OF BARILLA PASTA SAUCE OF CHOICE

3 TEASPOONS REGULAR GRANULATED SUGAR

6 (24OZ.) CANS OF RED GOLD DICED TOMATOES (BASIL, GARLIC, OREGAN0)

1 CAN OF TOMATO PASTE

4 LBS BARILLA PASTA (PENNE)

EXTRA VIRGIN OLIVE OIL (APPROX 4 OZ.)

1 CONTAINER PARMASEAN CHEESE (16 0Z)

1 BUNCH FRESH BASIL

DIRECTIONS:

PREP: SMALL DICE ONIONS (SET ASIDE), FINELY SLICE FRESH BASIL (SET ASIDE), REMOVE ITALIAN SAUSAGE FROM CASING (SET ASIDE)

POUR OLIVE OIL IN LARGE SAUCEPAN, ENOUGH TO COAT BOTTOM OF PAN. PLACE BURNER ON MEDIUM HEAT; ENOUGH TO HEAT OIL BUT NOT CAUSE BURNING OR SMOKING OF OIL.
PLACE ONIONS IN SAUCE PAN AND BEGIN SAUTEEING OVER MEDIUM HEAT. SOFTEN ONIONS FOR A FEW MINUTES AND THEN PLACE BASIL IN OIL WITH ONIONS. THEN PLACE MINCED GARLIC IN SAUCE PAN. SEASON TO TASTE.
AFTER ONIONS AND BASIL ARE DONE BEGIN POURING IN DICED TOMATOES AND JAR OF PASTA SAUCE. SET FD BURNER TO LOW AND COVER. LET SAUCE SIMMER FOR AT LEAST A FEW HOURS. THE LONGER THE SAUCE SIMMERS THE LESS ACIDIC IT WILL BECOME AND HAVE A MUCH SMOOTHER FINISH. THE MORE TIME, THE BETTER.
PLACE ITALIAN SAUSAGE AND GROUND CHUCK INTO CAST IRON SKILLET AND SET FD BURNER TO MEDIUM HEAT. BEGIN COOKING MEAT UNTIL NO LONGER PINK AND JUICES RUNNING CLEAR. LIGHTLY SEASON MEAT WITH GARLIC POWDER AND ADOBO SEASONING. REMOVE MAJORITY OF GREASE.
PLACE MEAT IN SAUCEPAN WITH SAUCE AND CONTINUE TO SIMMER.
BEGIN TO SEASON SAUCE TO TASTE. SEASON WITH GARLIC SALT OR POWDER, SALT AND PEPPER. ADOBO, SEASONING SALT OR ANY OTHER FIREHOUSE SEASONINGS AVAILABLE. USE SUGAR TO TASTE. (GOAL OF SUGAR IS NOT TO CREATE A SWEET SAUCE BUT MERELY TAKE OFF SOME OF ACIDIC EDGE.)
BRING LARGE POT TO BOIL. BOIL PENNE PASTA TO SERVE AL DENTE.
FINISH RED SAUCE BY ADDING IN PARMASEAN CHEESE. (BE AWARE THAT PARMASEAN WILL INCREASE SODIUM CONTENT SO DON’T OVER SEASON SAUCE PRIOR TO CHEESE.)
SERVE PASTA WITH A SIDE OF TEXAS TOAST AND SIDE SALAD. (TEXAS TOAST OR GARLIC BREAD CAN BE EASILY MADE IN HOUSE WITH SOME ITALIAN BREAD, REAL BUTTER, AND FRESH MINCED GARLIC OR GARLIC SALT.)