Wholegrain Spaghetti with Indescribably Good Sauce

The last of summer, first of fall here in Oregon, is tomato season and hours are spent saving the luscious round globes in paste balls and roasted tomatoes.  But it all pays off when the first day of Februrary rolls around and after a day of digging up bushes in the rain you can sit down to this powerful sauce after a quick half-hour in the kitchen.

I am not usually over-fond of whole-wheat pasta which can be too heavy for weak sauces.  But well-cooked (a little past al dente), well-salted, well-oiled, and then combined with a powerfully zestful sauce like this one they are marvelous.  Topped with  mozzarella, this dish is a little taste of heaven. 

PREREQUISITE RECIPES:

Tomato Paste Balls: (adapted from Joy of Cooking)

Roasted & Frozen Summer Tomatoes

Indescribably Good Sauce

Combine in a large sauce pan and begin to simmer

• 1 Tomato Paste Ball
• 1 qt. Roasted & Frozen Tomatoes
• a generous amount of fresh mushrooms, sliced.

Saute

• 1 large onion, diced
• 1 red or yellow bell pepper

in

• 1-2 Tablespoons olive oil

and add to the tomatoes and mushrooms along with

• 28 - 32 oz. diced canned tomatoes.

Simmer until the roasted tomatoes are completely thawed and the sauce begins to thicken.

Add

• 3 - 4 Tablespoons honey
• salt
• pepper.

Serve over whole wheat spaghetti noodles that have been cooked just beyond al dente in plenty of salted water, drained and then oiled with olive oil.  Top with a bit of mozzarella which will melt beautifully if the sauce and noodles are served nice and hot.