The Little Pasta Sauce that Could

caring for home:

Friends, I am so glad you stopped by today. I sometimes find myself stirring up a pot of something delicious, making an artisan coffee, or sipping a hot tea and wishing – wistfully wishing – that you could be here with me. There is so much joy to be found in life, and I want so deeply to share those moments with you. That’s why I must share this pasta sauce with you today. It’s simply and delicious – and trust me when I say, it is a total game changer!

01. What you’ll need (ingredients)

1 pound of pasta (your choice)
salt and pepper
fresh basil, fresh oregano (you can use dried if that’s all you have on hand)
5 medium sized fresh tomatoes (on the vine if possible)
2 red bell peppers
1 small onion
1 head of garlic
olive oil
heavy cream
blender (immersion blender is best)
grated parmesan cheese (optional)
shredded parmesan cheese (optional)

02. What to do (method)

First: Cube the onion and red bell peppers into 1 – 2 inch pieces. Quarter all the tomatoes, removing any stems. Cut off the top of the head of garlic. No need to peel it, just open it up so it can roast. Place tomatoes, peppers and onions in a roasting pan or dutch oven, sprinkle with salt and pepper to taste, and drizzle with olive oil. Nestle the head of garlic right in the center of all this beautiful goodness.

Second: Place in a 425 F oven, covered for 15 minutes to allow the vegetables to release some of their liquids. After 15 minutes, uncover the vegetables and continue to roast until softened. This may take up to 30 minutes depending on the size of your tomatoes and pepper pieces.

While the vegetables are roasting in the oven, cook your pasta of choice according to package directions and remember to salt the water. This is your only opportunity to flavor the pasta itself. Once tender, drain and allow to wait.

Next: Once the vegetables have softened from roasting, remove them from the oven and allow to cool completely. After the garlic has cooled enough to handle, squeeze out all the roasted cloves into the remainder of the vegetables. At this point, add in your fresh herbs. I used about 15 fresh basil leaves and about two teaspoons fresh oregano leaves from our balcony garden. If I were using dried, I would have used approximately 1 TBS basil leaves and 1 tsp oregano leaves. You want this sauce to be heavily seasoned, so flavor to your particular taste.

At this point, either using an immersion or other blender, blend the tomatoes, peppers, herbs, garlic and onions together. This will make a thick sauce. Once blended, add in 1/4 cup of heavy cream. Stir to combine. Lastly, taste for salt and pepper. You will have a beautiful, creamy, thick and rich pasta sauce that will absolutely make your mouth water.

03. How to enjoy

This final step is completely optional, but it makes such a big difference.

In a small roasting pan or aluminum-lined cast iron skillet (never use tomato-based products in your cast iron), place your cooked pasta and cover with sauce. Sprinkle on shredded parmesan cheese, and then sprinkle on a small amount of grated parmesan cheese.

Place under a broiler for 1-2 minutes until cheese becomes bubbly and starts to brown slightly. If desired, you may add on more fresh basil to your taste preferences.

04. Caring for home

Sometimes caring for home is as simple as watering the plants, sweeping the floors, or flipping laundry. But sometimes, caring for home is more deeply rooted in a hearty meal, a cup of tea, or a lit candle. It is when we find pleasure in doing the everyday things like making dinner, setting the table, or cleaning up the dishes.

That pleasure comes from a change of mindset, though. When we dread the cleaning up, the process of preparing a meal, or the thought of laying out the table, these moments become monotonous and mundane. When we change our perspective surrounding these household tasks, they become joyful and beautiful again.

We live in a fast-paced world that relies heavily on convenience; instant mashed potatoes, pasta sauce from a jar, and minute rice are all well and good. I admit, in certain seasons of life, I employ their help from time to time. But if we truly want to embrace the idea of caring for home, we will be intentional to work in little moments that take more than an instant. We will set the table with cloth napkins, put out the good drinking glasses, and light the candles.

We will make the process a journey, not a destination. We will savor the smell of roasting vegetables knowing the final outcome will be a beautiful, delicious meal that we get to share with others, or simply enjoy for ourselves.