Italian Pasta Sauce — The Three-Year Anniversary

The three-year anniversary of the notebook. March twenty-fifth, 2019. Three years ago today I sat at this same kitchen table and made pinto beans and cornbread for two dollars in a household that was coming apart at the edges. The first dollar-bin notebook is in the drawer. The green hardcover is full and on the shelf. The second green hardcover is on the kitchen table half full.

And the news Tuesday: the University of Tulsa accepted me. The acceptance letter came with a $14,000-a-year creative writing scholarship attached — the scholarship covers most of tuition, leaving a manageable gap I am going to fill with a combination of FAFSA aid and my catering side business and the Sonic shift-lead pay. Mama and Cody and I sat at the kitchen table when I read the letter aloud. Mama cried. Cody cried. I think I cried too.

I am going to go to college. The first person in my family on either side, going back as far as anyone can trace, who has gone to college. The application essay was an expanded version of the cast iron skillet memoir from the writing program. The University of Tulsa creative writing program is small and well-respected, and Marcus Wells — the poet who led the first session of the writing program in June 2018 — is on the program faculty. He wrote me a recommendation in November.

And the recipe Sunday was Italian pasta sauce because the recipe is the foundation and the anniversary called for the foundation. The recipe is from Cookie and Kate — a simple bright marinara made from canned crushed tomatoes, garlic, olive oil, fresh basil, salt, sugar, and a pinch of red pepper. Twenty-five minutes total.

The math: a 28-oz can of San Marzano tomatoes $2.99 (the splurge variety from Walmart, on sale this week), olive oil, garlic free, fresh basil from the windowsill, sugar, salt. Total: about $3.40 for a sauce that made enough for three pasta dinners.

The technique is the slow-bloom of the garlic. Heat olive oil over medium-low. Add minced garlic and cook for one minute, stirring, until fragrant but not brown. Add the can of crushed tomatoes, salt, sugar, red pepper. Simmer twenty minutes. Off heat, tear in fresh basil leaves.

Three years. The kitchen has gone from pinto beans for two dollars to a college-acceptance letter and the foundation marinara and three at the table. I am writing it all on the page in pen because pen is what the moment deserves.

The recipe is below. The trick is the slow-bloom of the garlic and the fresh basil at the end.

Italian Pasta Sauce

Prep Time: 15 minutes | Cook Time: 45 minutes | Total Time: 1 hour | Servings: 6

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 medium yellow onion, finely diced
• 5 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 lb ground Italian sausage (sweet or mild)
• 1 can (28 oz) crushed San Marzano tomatoes
• 1 can (15 oz) tomato sauce
• 2 tablespoons tomato paste
• 1 teaspoon dried basil
• 1 teaspoon dried oregano
• 1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes (optional)
• 1 teaspoon granulated sugar
• Salt and black pepper to taste
• 1/4 cup fresh basil, torn (for finishing)
• Parmesan cheese, for serving

Instructions

1. Sauté the aromatics. Heat olive oil in a large, heavy-bottomed saucepan or Dutch oven over medium heat. Add the diced onion and cook, stirring occasionally, for 5–7 minutes until softened and translucent. Add the minced garlic and cook 1 minute more until fragrant.
2. Brown the sausage. Add the ground Italian sausage to the pot. Break it apart with a wooden spoon and cook until no pink remains, about 7–8 minutes. Drain excess fat if needed, but leave a little for flavor.
3. Build the sauce. Stir in the tomato paste and cook for 2 minutes, letting it caramelize slightly against the bottom of the pan. Add the crushed tomatoes and tomato sauce, stirring to combine everything fully.
4. Season and simmer. Add the dried basil, oregano, red pepper flakes (if using), and sugar. Season generously with salt and black pepper. Stir well, then reduce heat to low. Partially cover and simmer for at least 30 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the sauce has thickened and the flavors have melded. Low and slow is the secret here.
5. Finish and serve. Remove from heat and stir in the fresh torn basil. Taste and adjust seasoning. Toss with your pasta of choice — homemade fettuccine especially — using a splash of reserved pasta water to help the sauce cling to every noodle. Finish with freshly grated Parmesan.

Nutrition (per serving)

Calories: 310 | Protein: 17g | Fat: 18g | Carbs: 19g | Fiber: 3g | Sodium: 680mg