Difficulty: Moderately Easy
Things You’ll Need:
- 1 Large can whole, crushed, or puree tomatoes depending on how chunky you like your sauce .
- 2 small cans of tomato sauce (I prefer no salt added)
- 1 small can tomato paste (again I prefer no salt added)
- 1 Clove of fresh Garlic
- 1 Medium Fresh Onion
- Paprika
- Basil (fresh or from the spice rack)
- 1 to 2 Bay leaves
- Chili power
- Oregano
- Parsley
- Red Wine (cooking wine not recommended)
- 1 Large pot (5qt dutch oven recommended)
- 1 Ice cube tray
- 1 Can opener
Step1
Let me just say that this is going to take about 4 to 6 hours of cooking time. The first thing you are going to want to do is take your red wine and pour it into your ice cube tray. I know this sounds funny but it pays off in the end. Put it in the freezer and let it freeze up. I know that alcohol doesn't freeze but it will partially. This step should take a few hours so I would let them sit overnight.
Step2
Chop your clove of garlic and your onion up, I like them chopped finely but if you prefer a chunkier sauce chop them a bit larger.
Step3
Open and pour all of the cans of your tomatoes into your dutch oven. Take your small can from the sauce and fill it with water. I usually slosh the water around a bit to get all the sauce out. Transfer the water to each can to make sure you get all the tomato goodness out of them. Pour the water into the pot and add 1 additional small can of water to the pot. Then add your previously chopped onion and garlic and stir it up a bit.
Step4
At this point you'll want to turn your burner to about med-high heat. Here comes the difficult part. You'll need to add your chili powder, paprika, basil, parsley, bay leaf, and oregano. I can't tell anyone how much or little of each to add, I was taught to season by look and smell alone but here is a tip. With the chili powder you'll only want to add a little because we don't want our sauce very spicy it just adds a nice little boost. Once you've added your spices to the pot you'll want to take a nice big whiff of the sauce if you can pick out any one scent you've added to much of that spice. Make sure its a nice even blended smell.
Step5
Next you'll add in about 2 to 3 of your wine cubes as I call them. Don't worry you won't get anyone buzzed from the wine because the alcohol cooks off. The red wine replaces sugar or carrots which give you that yummy sweet taste. Stir. If you don't have any wine or its not affordable, add a teaspoon (the ones you eat with) or two of sugar. Like I said earlier you can use a carrot as well, just peel it, cut the ends off and drop it in.
Step6
Now your sauce should be heating up and you should be seeing some bubbles ( it shouldn't be simmering yet just a couple of bubbles). Let the sauce get to a simmer, stir the sauce, put you lid on your pot, turn your heat down a bit and let it go. You'll need to check on it and stir it occasionally, if the sauce starts to boil turn your heat down some more.
Step7
Here comes the best part, at about 2 hours take your spoon, I personally use a wooden spoon, and taste it. It should be getting nice and flavorful by now. If the sauce isn't to the sweetness you prefer add a couple more wine cubes. Put the lid back on and stir it occasionally over the next 2 hours. Viola you have amazingly yummy pasta sauce that no one will easily forget.
Novice 
