GARDEN FRESH SPAGHETTI SAUCE...An in season recipe from Sweet Basil

This sauce not only tastes amazing, but will also fill your kitchen with a wonderful aroma while it simmers on the stove.

INGREDIENTS

1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
1/4 teaspoon black pepper flakes
1 large onion, diced
2 celery stalks, diced
6 cloves garlic, minced
1/4 cup tomato paste
7 pounds of fresh, peeled tomatoes (I prefer a mixture) or four 28-ounce cans whole peeled tomatoes, with liquid
1 (16 oz. package) sliced mushrooms
3 large bell peppers (diced)
1 jalepeno pepper (chopped fine) (Substitute 2 banana pepper for hot peppers if desired.)
1 red chili pepper (fresh or 2 tbsp. dried)
2 teaspoons Kosher salt plus to taste
Freshly ground black pepper
1 1/2 pounds ground beef
1 pound pork ribs or other pork
2 tablespoons fresh rosemary, crumbled into small pieces
2 tablespoon fresh thyme (chopped)
2 tablespoons fresh oregano (chopped)
1 tablespoon fresh parsley (chopped)
2 bay leaves (crushed)
1/2 to 1 cup grated Parmesan

DIRECTIONS

In a skillet or Dutch oven, brown the ground beef and pork. Drain the excess grease. Break up the meat with a wooden spoon, and cook until it loses its raw color, about 7 minutes. Pour all meat into a large soup pot.

Next, pour olive oil into skillet or Dutch oven. Add the mushrooms and pepper flakes and cook for about 2 minutes. Add the onion, celery and peppers and cook, stirring occasionally, until golden brown, about 15 minutes. Add the garlic and herbs and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute. Transfer all ingredients from the skillet to large soup pot. Stir in the tomato paste and cook, stirring constantly, for 1 minute. Add the tomatoes one at a time, crushing them by hand as you go. Season with 1 teaspoon salt and pepper to taste. Bring to a rolling boil, then continue to boil for 30 minutes.

Reduce heat, simmer the sauce over medium-low heat, covered, for a minimum of 3 hours. Stir occasionally. (If the sauce gets too thick adjust the consistency with water.) Taste and season with salt and pepper to taste. Just before serving, remove the pork (save for later use) add the parmesan cheese.

Serve over spaghetti or linguine pasta. This sauce makes a great base sauce for lasagna or other Italian tomato sauce dish.

Enjoy!

Follow us, like us, share us. We are Sweet Basil Farm & Gardens on Facebook. We are a local Middle Georgia producer of farm fresh fruits and vegetables and members of the American Poultry Association, licensed by the Georgia Dept. of Agriculture as Poultry Dealers and Brokers, and a proud member of the Georgia Grown program, a division of the Georgia Dept. of Agriculture. We also breed, sell and ship poultry, pet pigs, bearded irises and much more. We have an 80 acre working farm, with great emphasis on all natural gardening and livestock management practices. An 1840's general store is situated on our property, and serves as our on-site farmer’s market. We have a large vegetable and herb garden, fruit orchards and more. Conveniently located off of Interstate 75 near the Johnstonville Rd exit (#193). We are six miles west, located in Barnesville, Lamar County, Georgia.

Recipe courtesy of Sweet Basil Farms, and photo courtesy of pioneer woman.com, and J. David Matthews, of Barnesville, Georgia for support and patience with all that I try and test.