Extra chunky. I typically start with a 28oz can of crushed tomatoes and start the sauce at least 30 minutes before I start the pasta. Garlic, home grown dried basil, orega, star anise, red pepper flakes, a pinch of cayenne power, salt.
Cost per person: $4.25
star anise

Hadn’t ever considered this. And it works well without being overpowering?
It’s a tiny amount. Like a scant 1/4 tsp. If you can taste it you added too much. It boosts the depth of flavor. Kinda like if there was a MSG that worked only on savory tomato sauces.
🤯
I would have gone for fennel seeds, but I can picture star anise also working.
All out of fennel seed and completely surplused on star anise. This is like less than a quarter tsp worth. If I had fennel I’d use a lot more of that.
Same. Should already be some in the sausage and a little more is great.
Damn that looks good.
I should probably eat some food instead of just drinking beer.
The cause of, and solution to, life’s problems!
I asked my wife to go get me a beer when I started cooking. She told me had had enough beer for this week and next earlier this week. She wasn’t wrong.
I’m drinking to that! 😆
That bowl looks perfect!
Lasagna?
No layers. No soft or liquid cheese. No baking.
Sausage as your protein option in pasta is severely overrated imo. I do it a lot. The savory/umami it brings is a good counter to tomato acidity.
You have to make sure you drain the fat off the sausage though or it’ll kinda separate the sauce and be all weird.
If you finish the pasta in the sauce the fat isn’t as much of an issue, and fat is flavor.
Sausage allows me to season to the desired taste for the day. It is typically cheaper than whole tissue protein unless you are using chicken as the protein. And while bone in chicken cooked in the sauce was a frequent childhood meal it’s just not simple I’ve done much as an adult. In fact I think I’ve only done it once. Posted it here when I did.






