Tom’s Pasta Sauce

The idea for The School of Essential Ingredients came from a cooking class I took in Seattle, but the approach that Lillian, the chef/teacher in the novel, has toward food came from my experience of living in Italy for two years. While I was there I learned to see food as a conversation between ingredients rather than a lock-step set of rules I needed to follow. At first, that dialogue between ingredients felt as if it, too, was in a foreign language along with the Italian, but over time I learned to relax, to immerse myself in the flavors and textures of the ingredients, to worry less about using recipes. In short, I learned to play with my food.

And what I learned is that cooking is a very forgiving activity. Switching out one ingredient for another is a creative act, not a destructive one. Coming out from behind the protective wall of a recipe allows us to come into closer contact with the food itself. Thinking of a recipe as the start of a conversation opens up endless possibilities.

I offer the following recipe with the hope that you will feel invited/directed/inspired to experiment. What would happen, for example, if you grated some orange peel into your sauce? Or used chicken sausage, or ground lamb with a bit of fresh rosemary? How might those bursts of creativity affect the life of someone you love?

Tom's Pasta Sauce Recipe

Note: For best results, use Knorr’s extra-large soft chicken bouillon cubes. 
Crush the whole tomatoes in a food processor, or chop them finely by hand.
2 tablespoons olive oil
1/2 extra-large soft chicken bouillon cube (see note)
1 cup onion, chopped
2 large garlic cloves, minced
1 pound ground Italian sausage
1/4 cup milk
1/4 cup red wine
1 28-ounce can whole tomatoes, drained and crushed (see note)
1 cup tomato sauce (more if you want)
Salt and pepper
1 pound penne pasta
Grated parmesan cheese (optional)

1. In a large sauté pan, heat olive oil on medium-low heat until bubbles form. Crush the half bouillon cube into the oil and mix thoroughly.  Add onion and sauté for 2 minutes.  Add garlic and sauté until translucent. 

2. Add ground sausage, increase heat to medium, and cook until meat is no longer pink.  Add milk and simmer until absorbed.  (Don’t worry if it looks strange at first; the milk will mellow the wine and make for a wonderful, lush sauce.)  Add wine, reduce heat to low, and simmer until wine is absorbed.   Add crushed tomatoes, tomato sauce, and salt and pepper to taste. Bring to a boil over high heat.

3. Reduce heat to low and simmer for 1-3 hours, covered if you want a rich, but slightly thinner sauce, uncovered if you want a thicker sauce and the smell to roam through your house.

4. Bring a large pot of water to boil.  Cook penne pasta according to package directions, until al dente.  Drain pasta and place in a large serving bowl.  Ladle sauce over pasta; top with grated parmesan cheese if desired, and serve immediately. 

Yield: 6-8 servings