*Vegan
Put down the jar of sauce. What are you, some kind of animal? Making pasta sauce is no big deal. Life is not the movies—when Italian women make tomato sauce, they don’t spend all day in black widow drag, stirring a cauldron like a witch. In Italy, pasta is lightly dressed in sauce, not drowning in it the way it’s served in the U.S. Got a half hour? Then you can make a traditional marinara. Remember, Grandma doesn’t have all day for this shit. She has to watch her stories.
Glug of olive oil
1 carrot, peeled and cut into small dice (about ½ cup)
5 garlic cloves, minced or thinly sliced (who cares what you do?)
One 28-ounce can San Marzano tomatoes
1 cup vegetable broth (or water)
A fistful of salt
Pinch of crushed red pepper flakes
1 bay leaf
½ teaspoon dried oregano
½ teaspoon dried thyme
¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
½ teaspoon sugar
Torn fresh basil leaves
1 pound of bucatini (It’s like spaghetti, but thicker, with a hollow hole in the center of the noodle).
1. Pour a glug of olive oil into a large sauté pan. Swish it around and place the pan over medium heat. Add the carrots and sauté for 5 minutes.
2. Add the garlic and a pinch of salt. Cook until the garlic sizzles and becomes fragrant. (Don’t burn it.)
3. Mash the tomatoes with a potato masher or crush them with your (clean) hand, then add to the skillet. Pour the juices from the tomato can in, and add a cup of broth or water. Stir in the red pepper flakes, bay leaf, oregano, thyme, and black pepper.
4. Simmer for 15 minutes or until your sauce thickens. Taste and adjust the seasoning, then simmer for 10 minutes more. Stir in the sugar. (Take out the damn bay leaf.)
5. Drop some fresh, torn basil leaves on top, and your sauce is done.
6. Bring a large pot of salty water to a boil. Add the bucatini and cook for 2 minutes less than the instructions on the box tell you.
7. Drain the pasta and finish cooking for the last 2 minutes in the marinara sauce.
JUST THE TIP: Melt ¼ cup of gorgonzola cheese into the marinara for an incredible creamy, strong cheesy sauce.