Ginny's Sugo

For 4 servings

1 big red onion
3dl good red wine (same as the one you will be drinking with this marvellous dish)
7 nice medium/big tomatoes
some fresh basil
some fresh or dried oregano
dried chili
pepper
salt
Pasta (Spaghetti, Penne or whatever you like)

 


Well this dish can actually be eaten at any occasion. Who doesn't like a wonderful nice plate of pasta with a delicious self-made sugo. I actually "created" this dish, since I just had some beautiful tomatoes left in my fridge and didn't want to eat 3 pounds of tomato/mozzarella salad. So, what else to do? Well there you go. Also, you can increase this recipe to how much you need, and keep the extra sauce in the fridge or freezer for later use. So let's get started...

First of all we have to get rid of the tomato skin. Yes, I know, why peel tomatoes? Well the answer is very simple: it's much better, gives a better texture, softer in the mouth. The skin is tough and adds nothing to the taste.

Boil a large pan of water, and prepare a large bowl of cold water. Remove the small green stalk from each tomato. Then with a good knife cut a cross in the top of each tomato. Then water is boiling, put two or three tomatos in the pan. Leave them in for 20 seconds. The skin will split, starting from the top incision. Remove them with a skimmer or a spoon, and plunge immediately into cold water. Continue with all tomatoes. Remove tomatoes from cold water, peel off the skin with a knife discard it. With a knife remove the green and hard core of the tomatos ("the bone"), and discard it.

Then start by chopping the onions finely. Put them in a pan with some olive oil and heat up until nice & glassy (for about 7min on medium heat). As soon as you can smell the wonderful smell and the sizzle, pour in the red wine and let it simmer for about another 5min.

After that start adding your prepared tomatos. Add the fresh or dried basil, oregano & chili and let it simmer on low heat for about 2 hours. Stir it from time to time to time, then taste it and add some salt & pepper as you wish. Also if you like it spicy add some more chili.

After the two hours are over, take a masher (yes same as for the potatos) and mash the tomatoes in the pan. You will just love the smell... trust me... Then just leave it on the stove.

Then start cooking your pasta, serve them nicely on a plate and add your magnificient sauce. Add a fresh leaf of basil on top for decoration & buon appetito!

Wine recommendation: Some nice, fruity red wine, i.e. a nice Primitivo

Music recommendation: Dean Martin, Carla Bruni, Marina Rei

Penne with green asparagus & smoked ham

For 2 servings

300-400gr of Penne
6 slices of smoked country ham (also works with Parma ham, but prefer that one)
lemon pepper, salt, pepper
bit of olive oil
2dl white wine
2dl of cream
500gr green asparagus
some grated Parmesan (if you like)







I basically "created" this dish, when I cooked myself some green asparagus the night before and had about half of a kilo left (already cooked). So, either you might be in the same situation, or you just cook the green asparagus on the same day you do this dish. Also tried it with white asparagus, but a) doesn't really look that appealing with the penne, and somehow the taste didn't make me scream hurray. But hey, give it a try in case you want to try it for yourselves. Tastes as different all over this world, and that's what cooking is all about.


So, as said, in case you don't have the asparagus already cooked, then cut about 2cm off the bottom of the asparagus and cook them for about 10-15min in boiling water. Please make sure that the asparagus are still al dente since you have to cook them on afterwards. Start cooking the water for the penne so they're ready when your sauce will be ready to be served.


When done, cut the asparagus in about 2-3cm pieces (slightly cut diagonally since it looks nicer). Take the slices of smoked country ham and cut or tear it in about 2cm slices. Then add some olive oil in your pan, add your cooked & cut asparagus in the pan. Not too hot. You basically just have to steam them up to get all the nice tastes of the ingredients together. Cook it for about 4min then add the ham and cook on for about 4min. Add some of the lemon pepper, salt and normal pepper. Mixed it all up but make sure you don't "break" the asparagus. When all heated up, add the white wine, and let it simmer for about another 4min. Just before your Penne are ready, add some cream to your asparagus and mix it all up. Make sure you taste it. If too salty add some more cream. I also like to add some crushed chili - but that's up to you.


Then put the penne in the frying pan with the sauce and mix it all up, so that all the penne are covered in this delicious sauce. Et voilà, ready to serve! Bon appétit!


Wine recommendation: Some nice, fruity and dry white wine with a nice taste of citrus fruits. One of my favorites is the Roero Arneis from the Piemont region. But any nice & light white wine will do with this dish.


Music recommendation: Coldplay, Muse, Jamiroquai