Can you believe it’s October already? I can’t. I’m not sure where September went. Heck, I’m not sure where the entire year went. I do love October though—it may just be my favorite month. In New Mexico, besides chile, we have the Balloon Fiesta, as well as my birthday and our wedding anniversary, all within the same twoish weeks. Plus, all the trees start changing color, the chamisa are blooming, and the weather is finally cooler! And cooler weather means comfort food, like big bowls piled high with pasta and a hearty sauce.
Last Monday we covered how to make homemade pasta. Today, I’m giving you a short recipe you can use along with your freshly-made pasta. It only takes about 45 minutes to prepare, from start to finish. You can learn more about pasta and how to cook pasta in series part one and part two.
It’s savory and slightly acidic with a little sweetness added by the tomatoes and balsamic vinegar (no sugar added). You can also make it either with meat, or without, and it freezes beautifully.
I usually make a big batch and stick at least half in the freezer for another time. It’s also a very versatile sauce, meaning you can add additions such as mushrooms, olives, zucchini, etc.
And even though this is the end of the pasta series, you can also use this recipe for many other things, including in lasagna, stuffed peppers, and even a delicious, warming soup.
- 24 oz. can of chopped or diced tomatoes
- 1 piece of bacon, diced small (optional)
- 1 package of ground turkey (optional)
- 1 small onion or ½ of a large onion, diced
- 2 garlic cloves, minced or pressed
- 2 Tbsp. fresh basil or 2 tsp. dry
- 1 tsp. oregano
- 2 tsp. olive oil
- 2 tsp. balsamic vinegar
- 1 tsp. Italian seasoning
- Put the olive oil into a big sauté pan or a Dutch oven and turn the heat to medium-low. Once the oil is shimmering, add your bacon pieces, if using. Cook the bacon pieces until they are crispy around the edges.
- Add your onion and garlic and sauté until the onions are translucent.
- Increase the heat to medium and add the ground turkey and sauté until cooked through.
- Add the tomatoes, balsamic vinegar, and seasoning and simmer for about 30 minutes, or until the liquid has reduced a big (how much is up to you).
- Your sauce is finished!
‘Till next time!
Annette says
Sounds yummy! If i wanted to use fresh herbs instead of dried Italian seasoning, what would you recommend, and in what proportions?
RSGallegos says
I would recommend basil, oregano, thyme, and Italian parsley. Rosemary would also be a fantastic addition. As for proportions, I would use a tablespoon of each, or even more, depending on how much you like a particular herb. I tend to use more oregano and parsley than anything else, maybe an extra teaspoon of each. Hope that helps! Thank you for reading! 🙂