Marco's Lentil Bolognese

In a large pot, heat oil or water over low-medium heat.  Add finely chopped:
* onions
* carrots
* celery
for 5-10 minutes, until onions are translucent

Add lentils, fry for 30-60 seconds

Add 1/2 glass of red wine (optional).  Turn heat to high until wine is evaporated

Add Passata (tomato sauce).  Optional: for richer taste, add half a cube of vegetable broth

Turn heat back down to low-medium, and cook for 20 minutes or until lentils are soft.  If sauce thickens, add water.

Serve with linguine.  Sprinkle with grana padano cheese and basil.

Serve with red wine. 

Marco's Tomato Sauce

It's harvest time, and a few days ago I watched my great housemate and gourmet cook Marco prepare a delicious tomato sauce.  With his permission, I took copious notes, and here is the result.  

This recipe is golden - tried and proven.

Yields: 5 jars of 250 ml

Ingredients:

* 3 pounds of tomatoes, evenly divided between grape, cherry, and “big juicy” tomatoes (tomatoes do not need to be peeled; grape and cherry tomatoes do not need to be cut into small pieces; larger tomatoes should be cut into 1-2 cm cubes approximately)

* 4 cloves garlic (cut to “minced” size)

* 1 large onion (cut to small squares)

* 1 large green pepper (cut to small squares)

* 2 carrots (cut to small squares)

* 4 teaspoons of olive oil

* a pinch of salt (1/4 teaspoon maximum)

* a pinch of sugar (1/4 teaspoon maximum)

* a pinch of baking soda (1/4 teaspoon maximum)

* optional: 1/4 cup white wine if sauce has no meat or with chicken; if the sauce has any other meat, use red wine

* optional: 1 fresh “habanero” or “chilli” pepper for more spicy flavour

Directions:

* heat olive oil in a large frying pan

* add garlic, onion, and carrots, turn stove to medium-high (level 6), stir occasionally for 3 minutes

* (optional: add “habanero” or “chilli” pepper after 1.5 minutes)

* add a pinch of salt, turn to low-medium (3), and stir for 10 minutes

* add green pepper, a pinch of sugar, turn stove to medium-high (7), stir occasionally for 3-5 minutes

* reduce heat to low-medium (3), cover frying pan with lid for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally

* (optional: add wine)

* add tomatoes, turn up heat to medium-high (7), and stir occasionally for 3 minutes

* lower heat to low-medium (3), cover, and stir occasionally for 10-15 minutes; try to “squeeze” or “squish” small tomatoes into the sauce

* turn up heat to medium (5), keep squeezing and squishing small tomatoes for 5 more minutes, stirring occasionally

* taste sauce: if bitter/sour, add a pinch of baking soda and sugar to take away bitterness

* add salt and pepper to taste

* put sauce into glass jars and place in large pot of boiling water for 30 minutes

* take jars out of boiling water and place upside down on the counter (on a towel), and let jars dry; lids will “pop” into place as jars cool