Slow-Simmered Spicy Pasta Sauce

I don't call this "spaghetti sauce" because you can use it on just about any type of pasta. And yes, it has carrots in it. Deal.

Ingredients:

• 1 lb. bulk Italian sausage

• 1 tbsp olive oil

• 1 medium onion, coarsely chopped

• 2 garlic cloves, coarsely chopped

• 2 cups tomato sauce

• 1/4 cup (2 oz) tomato paste

• 1 1/2 tsp sugar

• 1/4 tsp dried basil

• 1/4 tsp dried oregano

• 1/8 tsp crushed red pepper

• 1/8 tsp freshly ground black pepper

• 1/2 cup red wine

• 2 large carrots, chopped

• 3 plum tomatoes, coarsely chopped

• 1/4 lb (4 oz) white button mushrooms, coarsely chopped

• 1/2 medium red bell pepper, coarsely chopped

• 1/2 medium green bell pepper, coarsely chopped

• 1/2 medium yellow bell pepper, coarsely chopped

• 1/2 medium orange bell pepper, coarsely chopped

Production:

• In a large skillet, cook the sausage over medium-high heat for 5 minutes or until browned. Drain the fat and reserve on a plate.

• Heat the olive oil in a Dutch oven or large saucepan over medium heat until hot.

• Add the onion and garlic. Cook for 5 minutes or until the onions are soft. Be careful to not let the garlic burn.

• Reduce the heat to medium-low. Stir in the cooked sausage, tomato sauce, tomato paste, sugar, basil, oregano, crushed red pepper, black pepper, and wine until well combined.

• Stir in the carrots, tomatoes, mushrooms, and bell pepper.

• Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to low. Cover and simmer for 4 to 5 hours to allow the flavors to blend.

Notes:

• You can substitute beef broth for the wine if you don't like cooking with alcohol.

• The sauce should thicken while cooking. If it hasn't, add a slurry of arrowroot. Do NOT use cornstarch. Cornstarch and tomato products are not a good combination.

• You can make this sauce up to 2 months in advance if you cover and freeze it after preparation.