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Tomato-Sausage Sauce

4.5

(68)

"When my son was young," writes Mary Gareffa of East Longmeadow, Massachusetts, "he used to tease me for standing over the pot of sauce, stirring and simmering it slowly, but that's the way my father showed me. A sauce is like a baby; you have to be gentle with it. And I know I must be doing something right, because my grandson, Jason, called me just last week to get the recipe."

This quick and easy version of Mary's heirloom recipe is ready in under an hour.

Recipe information

  • Yield

    Makes about 5 cups

Ingredients

6 tablespoons olive oil
4 spicy Italian sausages, pierced several times with toothpick
1 large onion, finely chopped
4 large garlic cloves, minced
1 1/2 28-ounce cans crushed tomatoes with added puree
1/4 cup chopped fresh Italian parsley
2 small bay leaves
2 teaspoons dried basil
2 teaspoons dried oregano

Preparation

  1. Heat oil in heavy large pot over medium-high heat. Add sausages, onion, and garlic. Sauté until onion begins to color, about 10 minutes. Add crushed tomatoes and herbs and bring sauce to boil. Reduce heat to medium-low, cover, and simmer until flavors blend and sausages are cooked through, stirring often, about 30 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Slice sausages thinly, if desired.

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