Bacon, red wine and herbs give the sauce a rich, fragrant taste. Canned tomatoes can be substituted with fresh peeled tomatoes. If your canned tomatoes contain puree, omit the tomato paste.
If you prepare this sauce with San Marzano D.O.P canned tomatoes you will find that its taste is richer and less acidic. You can mash the tomatoes using a potato masher if you don’t have a food processor.
For a little extra flavor, add 2 teaspoon (10 ml) of wine per serving to the sauce before reheating.
Servings: 10 to 12
In a large saucepan, over low heat, cook the bacon until crispy. Remove from pan and pat dry with paper towel. Reserve.
Remove bacon fat from pan except 2 tablespoon. Add the onion and bell pepper and cook over medium heat for 8 minutes, stirring often with a wooden spoon. Add the meat and cook for 5 to 8 minutes, stirring constantly to crumble, until it loses its pink color. Remove the saucepan from the heat.
Turn on the food processor and drop the garlic through the neck to chop. Stop the machine, add a can of tomatoes an pulse for a few seconds (no more to avoid bruising the pits which would give a bitter taste to the sauce) and add to the pan. One can at a time, pulse remaining tomatoes and add to the sauce pan with remaining ingredients. Bring to a boil over medium heat, stirring constantly, reduce heat and simmer over very low heat for 3 hours, stirring occasionally.
The sauce will keep for a week in the refrigerator. Refrigerate for 2 days before freezing.
Ingredients
Directions
In a large saucepan, over low heat, cook the bacon until crispy. Remove from pan and pat dry with paper towel. Reserve.
Remove bacon fat from pan except 2 tablespoon. Add the onion and bell pepper and cook over medium heat for 8 minutes, stirring often with a wooden spoon. Add the meat and cook for 5 to 8 minutes, stirring constantly to crumble, until it loses its pink color. Remove the saucepan from the heat.
Turn on the food processor and drop the garlic through the neck to chop. Stop the machine, add a can of tomatoes an pulse for a few seconds (no more to avoid bruising the pits which would give a bitter taste to the sauce) and add to the pan. One can at a time, pulse remaining tomatoes and add to the sauce pan with remaining ingredients. Bring to a boil over medium heat, stirring constantly, reduce heat and simmer over very low heat for 3 hours, stirring occasionally.
The sauce will keep for a week in the refrigerator. Refrigerate for 2 days before freezing.
