1 (6 oz.) can tomato paste, 2 if you like thick sauces
2 (12 oz.) cans tomato sauce
1 (20 oz.) can diced tomatoes
1 (12 oz.) can Rotel (your choice of mild, spicy or hot)
1 small can mushrooms (optional)
6 tablespoons olive oil
2 medium onions, or 3 small ones, chopped
2 stalks celery, finely sliced
3 cloves garlic, finely chopped
½ cup chopped bell pepper (green, red, yellow or mixed), more if you like
2 bay leaves
2 lbs. Italian sausage, pork or turkey (or substitute ground beef, meatballs or shrimp)
1 tablespoon mixed Italian seasonings, to taste (marjoram, thyme, rosemary, savory, sage, oregano and basil)
Directions
Cut the sausage into short sections, or squeeze it out of the casing. Brown in a heavy-bottomed stainless steel or Magnalite pot. If using turkey sausage, you may have to add some olive oil to help it brown. A cast iron pot is not recommended for tomato sauces.
Cook off the excess water and remove the browned meat. In the same or another pot, heat 3 tablespoons of olive oil and cook the onions, celery, garlic, mushrooms and bell pepper until the onions are clear or very slightly caramelized. Remove the vegetables to a side dish.
Heat the remaining 3 tablespoons of olive oil over moderate heat, stir in the tomato paste and cook it for about 3-5 minutes. Add the tomato sauce, diced tomatoes and Rotel one can at a time, cooking until smoothly blended, about 10-15 minutes.
Slowly add water, equal to the volume of all the tomato product cans, to loosen the sauce without making it too runny.
Add the meat and the cooked vegetables. Add small amounts of water if the sauce looks too thick. Simmer for 2-3 hours minimum. OK to serve after 1 hour if you're real hungry and can't stand it any more.
Serve over your favorite pasta, such as No. 2 vermicelli.
