italy called and wants its homemade bolognese sauce back

I don't like not knowing the right answer. It harkens back to my days of being a teacher's pet. I like to always be right, and I like to be the first one to be right. My brother gave me the ever-charming moniker, "Know it All" when I was a kid. Oh man, how I hated it. Oh man, how I loathed it. And oh man, how I loved it. You gotta be some kind of smartypants to get that kind of accolade. (Thank god I got nerdier cooler with age. ;)) 

So you can imagine the extreme torture it is to be asked a question, especially a simple one, and not know the answer. Oh, how it destroys me! Go ahead, stick your hand in and twist my vitals! It's the worst. And that sickening torture happens every time someone asks, "What's your favorite food?" 

...

WHAT KIND OF QUESTION IS THAT? 

You might as well ask me if I prefer semicolons or colons, or to choose between To Kill a Mockingbird and The Invisible Man (the nerd level in this post is damn-near reaching unreadable!). I am twitching even typing this, even THINKING of these absurd, irresponsible, rude, mean, cruel, torturous, impossible questions. 

There's pizza. Jesus, my love for pizza is truly worthy of invoking the name of a deity. 

Ham. OH HAVE MERCY, how much I love ham - honey ham, spiral cut ham, off the bone ham. I'm sloshing about in a drool-covered keyboard now. 

A perfectly cooked steak. 

Duck boob.

Roasted broccoli.

Edamame.

Hummus.

Edamame hummus.

Cajun french fries. 

Shut the front effing door, I hate this question and everyone who has ever asked it.

But if we're all six years old again (have I even aged past that, really?), and someone has a gun to my head and I have to choose (what kind of mind games do most killers really play, really?), I say... my answer is... are you ready? Sitting down? Reading this on your mobile device trying not to run into a light pole? I got distracted. 

My answer is sausage. 

Yep. Sausage. Homemade, preferably, from your local favorite Italian grocer or deli. Or in your kitchen, if you're so ambitious. Sausage. Hot Italian sausage. 

It is the best pizza topping. The best sammie filling. The best pasta protein. Hell, you could probably make hummus out of it, what do I know? (......New goal.) 

I love sausage. And I really, really adore fresh spinach pasta. So it was only a matter of time until I caved in and made homemade Bolognese sauce. I do a simplified version of this like bi-nightly (please don't judge my extreme pasta intake too harshly!), but this is big 'ole pot worth, worthy of freezing if you can keep it around that long, and it's truly homemade. 

Don't even get me started on my favorite dessert or spice. I'll be yammering for weeks. 

Recipe adapted from Sugar Free Mom's traditional Italian Bolognese sauce

ingredients

4 links Italian sausage of your choosing (i use vace's hot - located in d.c.)

1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil

1/2 large onion chopped

4 large cloves garlic, minced + more because there's never enough garlic tip: i use a cheese grater to mince!

1 cup water

2 28oz cans of crushed tomatoes (i didn't have this much so my pictures may appear slightly more "soupy" than you will with the full two cans! i'll use the full amount next time.)

1 28oz can diced tomatoes (taste of italy from vace in d.c.)

2 tsp dried fennel seed (lovelove)

2 tsp dried basil (who am i kidding? i don't measure anything. pinch + pinch + pinch)

2 tsp salt 

2 tsp pepper

2 tsp parsley

2 tsp oregano

2 tsp thyme 

2 tsp parsley 

crushed red pepper to taste (i loaded it up)

i.e. EVERYTHING IN YOUR SPICE CABINET

pasta of your choosing (for me: fresh spinach fettucini, also from vace!)

steps 

heat your oil in a large pot on medium heat

add sausage and cook until brown (pink is okay - it will cook through while it simmers!)

add onion and garlic and saute until your house smells like heaven (/until translucent)

add crushed tomato, water, and all 100 seasonings. bring to a boil. reduce heat, cover, and simmer for one hour, or until you're mouth is watering too much to wait any longer. 

bring a separate pot of water to boil and add your pasta of choice. cook for 7-9 minutes and drain. 

if the sauce is too thick, you can add more water. if it's too thin, try adding some tomato paste. i thought the consistency was great.