Pomodoro Sauce with Italian Sausage

Sometimes there is nothing like a nice big bowl of pasta with a tangy tomato sauce and freshly grated cheese sprinkled on the top!

Most people think that it takes all day to knock out a really good pasta sauce. My version only takes about an hour and you'll be amazed at how good it tastes.

One thing that pasta sauce requires is high quality ingredients. In the Chicago suburbs we have a grocery store called "Caputos" where you can get some of the best Italian meats, cheeses, pastas and olive oils. It's always a wild time to venture into Caputos as they're usually packed. If you want to see Caputos at its busiest, check them out on a Saturday morning.

I stumbled onto "Caputos Cheese Market" about two years ago and found some really unique items there. The "Cheese Market" is really something; there must be at least fifty different kinds of cheese to choose from. You can get fresh bakery goods, several kinds of Proscuitto and excellent handmade Italian sausages and they have one of the largest selections of pasta that I have ever seen. Caputos is where I go for pasta sauce ingredients and it does make a difference.

So let's get started!

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Pomodoro Sauce with Italian Tomatoes
and Sausage

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*****Ingredients*****

1/3 cup high quality olive oil
6 oz can of tomatoes puree
28 oz can Italian style tomatoes
16 oz package of Italian sausage
medium onion chopped
4 - 6 cloves of garlic chopped
Salt and pepper to taste
1 teaspoon dried basil
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1 tablespoon dried parsley flakes
16 oz package of Fusilli pasta
1 cup fresh Italian parsley roughly chopped
Parmesan or Pecorino Romano cheese good quality

*****Preparation*****

Heat olive oil in a large pot over medium high heat and add sausage, onions and garlic. Brown for 5 to 8 minutes. Tilt pot and remove fat with a large spoon.

Stir in tomatoes, tomato puree and spices except salt. Lower heat and simmer for 30 to 60 minutes until flavors blend. Add salt to taste if necessary.

When ready to serve, cook Fusilli in rapidly boiling salted water until al dente.

Drain Fusilli and return to pot, sprinkle with olive oil and toss. Over medium high heat stir in 1 cup of sauce. Using a wooden spoon, stir for 1 minute. Remove from heat and pour Fusilli onto a large serving platter or bowl. Spoon sauce over the top of the Fusilli, sprinkle with fresh parsley and top with Parmesan or Pecorino Romano cheese.

For individual servings, place one serving of Fusilli in a large frying pan over medium high heat and stir in desired amount of sauce. Using a wooden spoon, stir 1 minute. Spoon Fusilli into a pasta bowl, sprinkle with fresh parsley and top with good quality Parmesan or Pecorino Romano cheese.

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To find a Caputos near you visit their website at: caputomarkets.com

The Caputos Cheese Market is located at: 1931 N. 15th Ave, Melrose Park, IL