Sunday Sauce

We usually make this tomato sauce on Sunday nights. Simple and delicious.

Ingredients
2-3 tablespoons olive oil
4-5 cloves garlic, smashed with the side of a knife

1 (or more) pinch crushed red pepper flakes
3-4 tablespoons italian parsley

~24 oz. can pureed tomatoes

1 or two handfuls of picholine olives, or use any olives you like.

linguine

Directions
Heat the olive oil in a medium sized pan over low heat. Place the smashed garlic cloves in the pan before the oil is hot and let them turn golden. This should take 5-7 minutes. Be sure to flip them every so often so that they do not burn. Remove the garlic. I throw it away at this point because the oil is nicely scented. Stir the parsley into the oil and cook briefly, about 30 seconds. Add the tomato puree, pepper flakes, and the olives. Cook for about 20-30 minutes on low with the lid off. The olives season the sauce, so don't add any extra salt. Mix a little less than a pound of linguine into the sauce and serve with fresh parsley on top. This makes excellent leftovers for Monday.

Tomato Bread Soup

Amazing winter soup we discovered at the only good restaurant in Sheboygan.

Ingredients
4 tablespoons olive oil
1 pinch crushed red pepper flakes
4 cups stale white bread, cut into cubes
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 onion, finely chopped
2 (12 ounce) cans diced tomatoes (or pureed tomatoes if you prefer a smoother soup)
6 cups low-sodium chicken broth
1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
3 tablespoons chopped fresh basil

Directions
Heat 4 tablespoons olive oil in a large stockpot over medium heat. Stir the pepper flakes into the oil and add the bread cubes. Cook the bread cubes until lightly brown. Remove bread cubes to paper towels, reserving the oil in the stockpot.

Pour 2 tablespoons olive oil into the stockpot. Cook the garlic and onion in the oil until the onion has softened, about 5-8 minutes. Stir in the tomatoes, basil and drained bread cubes; cook about 10 minutes. Add the broth, parsley, and Parmesan cheese to the tomato mixture; bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low and simmer 20 to 30 minutes. Garnish with basil before serving.

Handmade Pasta with Eggplant and Fresh Tomatoes

This sauce is best when the pasta is homemade (worth the effort).

Ingredients

Two small eggplants

salt

olive oil

6 garlic cloves, finely chopped

2 lbs fresh tomatoes, peeled, seeded, and chopped

1 handful fresh basil torn into small pieces

6 oz. fresh mozzarella, diced

black pepper

fresh pasta (tagliatelle is best)

flour

3 eggs

Directions

Preparing the eggplants:

Cut the stems and navels off the eggplants. Cut into 1/4 in. thick slices, sprinkle with salt, and stand upright in a colander for 40 minutes to drain off the juices. Blot the salt from the slices with paper towels. Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Brush both sides of eggplant slices with olive oil, place on baking sheets and roast for about 10-15 minutes. The time may vary, but just be sure to roast them until they are golden brown. Once cooled, dice and set aside.

Making the pasta:

While the eggplants are draining or roasting, heat a pot full of water and whisk 3 eggs in a bowl. Slowly stir in 1 and 2/3 cups of flour to the egg mix. You can use either all all-purpose flour or a mix of half semolina/half all-purpose. I find it easier to do the mixing in a bowl rather than on a counter. Stir until the mixture can be worked with your hands. Dump contents of bowl on a well floured surface and knead with your hands until it is elastic (about 5 minutes) adding flour as needed. Separate the dough into palm sized balls, cover with plastic wrap, and refrigerate 20-30 minutes. Flatten 1/4 in. thick rectangles and run through a pasta machine progressing from the thickest to thinnest settings until you have long sheets. Be sure to run the sheets though the first settings several times, folding in half before each pass. You may need to cut these long sheets in half after the last pass, before you pass though the tagliatelle setting on your machine. I place the pasta on a laundry drying rack until I cook them. You may need to do all this while cooking the sauce. When the water is boiling, add a generous pinch of salt and return to a boil. Add the pasta to the water when the sauce is done. The pasta will take a mere 1-2 minutes to cook. Take out before it is completely done, as it will cook in the colander while it drains. 

Making the sauce:

Warm olive oil in a large skillet over med-low heat. Add garlic and saute until softened, 3-4 minutes. Add tomatoes, basil, 1/2 teaspoon salt and stir well. Simmer until excess water evaporates (about 15 minutes). Add diced eggplant, mozzarella, and pepper and toss well. Turn off heat, cover pan for several minutes until mozzarella is softened. Add the fresh pasta to the sauce and serve.