Hidden Veg Pasta Sauce from Kerryann's Family Cookbook

canned tomatoes

🥗Healthier: fresh tomatoes

💰Cheaper: crushed tomatoes

Fresh tomatoes can enhance flavor while crushed tomatoes are often less expensive.

parmesan cheese

🥗Healthier: nutritional yeast

💰Cheaper: grated pecorino

Nutritional yeast provides a cheesy flavor with fewer calories.

Chop off the top of the onion, leaving the root intact to hold it together while chopping.

Finely chop the onion.

Use the back of the knife to bash the garlic cloves and remove their skins.

Chop the garlic using the rocking method until not too fine.

Heat a heavy bottomed medium to large pot on medium heat and add 1 tablespoon of olive oil.

Add the chopped onion and garlic to the pot and stir.

Add 1 tablespoon of dried oregano to the pot.

Grate the leek, carrots, celery, and mushrooms into the pot.

Stir the grated vegetables into the pot and let them soften for about 10 minutes.

Add 2 tablespoons of tomato puree to the pot.

Pour in 750 ml of hot vegetable stock and stir to combine.

Add 1 teaspoon of sugar to balance the bitterness of the tomatoes.

Simmer the sauce on low heat for half an hour, stirring once or twice to prevent sticking.

In a separate pot, bring a lot of boiling water to a boil and add a generous pinch of salt.

Add 500 g of penne pasta to the boiling water and cook for about 10 to 12 minutes until al dente.

Reserve a cup of the pasta cooking water before draining the pasta.

Add the drained pasta to the sauce and mix well, adding some reserved pasta water to keep it loose and silky.

Plate the pasta and sauce, finishing with grated parmesan cheese, a drizzle of olive oil, and a tiny pinch of pepper.

Cooking Techniques

Equipment Needed

Spice Level:

Dietary

Allergens