Taste Buds: Homemade Marinara Sauce/Spaghetti alla Bolognese

Okay, I know this is simple for a lot of people. But believe me, making a sauce from scratch rather than buying a jar is a huge accomplishment for me. Incidentally, a lady who makes tamales gave us loads of tomatoes. Like a sign from the cooking gods, my CuisinArt newsletter featured my blender, with a recipe for homemade marinara sauce. The recipe only called for four ingredients: tomatoes, garlic, salt, and basil. My mind lit up as I thought, hmmm, I may be on to something here!

I had peeled the tomatoes and blended them with my lovely CuisinArt blender. I prepared large amounts of garlic and basil because I truly wanted strong flavor with strong aroma. I gave myself a pat on the back when I thought of adding mushrooms – what is probably basic for you is a leap of faith for me. After sautéing the solids, I added the blended tomatoes. I first thought that the mixture will instantly have the flavor of those Bertolli sauces. Of course I forgot, salt. I seasoned my sauce with salt and pepper, and pretty much my life, to taste and believe me, it was, as Angelo from Top Chef DC would say, “as if I made love with” the sauce.

My homemade marinara provided me a good base for a Bolognese sauce, into which I just added sautéed ground beef with even more basil. And voila, my very own spaghetti alla Bolognese. To Chef’s surprise, I actually created the second best spaghetti alla Bolognese that he has ever tasted in his life. The first apparently is from a restaurant in San Diego called La Estrada. Of course, we have never been to Italy but I am glad that this can compete with an Italian classic.

Spaghetti Bolognese