This pasta is essentially an elevated spaghetti and meat sauce dish, but uses spicy Italian sausage, red wine, and parmesan rinds to develop more depth of flavor in the sauce. The ingredient list is simple and it doesn’t take much active effort, and it’s quick besides letting the sauce simmer.

A few notes: some canned tomatoes are acidic, which is why the recipe calls for a bit of sugar to balance it out. I also add salt in the stage where I cook the onions, but not to the sausage, which is already seasoned. For both these ingredients, I recommend tasting the sauce after it has been simmering for about 30 mins to determine if it needs sugar or more salt. If you’re happy with the taste of your sauce, leave the sugar out.

Ingredients:

• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 1 lb ground spicy Italian sausage (if you can’t find ground sausage, get the links and remove the casings)
• 1 medium onion, diced
• pinch of salt
• 28 oz can crushed tomatoes
• handful of chopped fresh basil
• 1 sprig rosemary
• 1 tbsp dried oregano
• pinch of sugar (depending on the acidity of your tomatoes)
• 1/4 cup red wine
• 1-2 parmesan rinds
• 1 lb pasta of choice (spaghetti, bucatini, and linguine work well)
• 1 cup reserved pasta water

Directions:

1. Heat the olive oil in a large pan over medium heat and add the onions. Season with salt and sauté for a few minutes until browned.
2. Add in the ground Italian sausage. Break it up with a spoon and cook until browned.
3. Add in the crushed tomatoes, wine, basil, rosemary, oregano, and parmesan rinds. Let simmer for about 30 minutes, then check for seasoning. If you find your sauce is too acidic, add a pinch of sugar at a time until you’re happy with the taste.
4. Once you’ve adjusted seasoning, let the sauce simmer for another 30 minutes. Longer is better to develop greater depth of flavor.
5. When the sauce is almost done, set a pot of water to boil for your pasta. Generously salt the water and cook the pasta until al dente. Reserve a cup of pasta water before draining.
6. Add in the cooked pasta and a splash of the pasta water into the sauce. Mix well, adding more pasta water as needed for the sauce to coat the noodles.
7. Transfer the pasta to your serving bowls and top with fresh grated parmesan, basil, and red pepper flakes.