tomato sauce

I think if I had to pick a favorite food it would be pasta with a blizzard of Parmesan cheese. It never fails to take me back to our honeymoon in Italy where I know I ate the best food of my life. This is how I make my favorite sauce. It is really easy & a tastier than jarred sauce, in my opinion. The portions of the ingredients are up to your personal taste.

Ingredients

• olive oil
• garlic
• mushrooms
• kale
• dried thyme
• salt & pepper
• bay leaf
• large can of crushed plum tomatoes 
• fresh basil

Put a large glug of olive oil at the bottom of your pan (I use my cast iron frying pan) over medium heat. Add the mushrooms & chopped kale. Saute until they are beginning to soften & add the minced garlic.  Cook until the garlic becomes fragrant, being careful not to let it burn. Add a pinchful of thyme, rubbing it between your fingertips as you sprinkle it evenly over the pan.  Add salt & pepper. Pour in crushed tomatoes & add the bay leaf. Let this simmer while you bring your salted water to a boil & cook your pasta. Before draining your pasta, add some of the salted pasta water to the sauce if it is looking a little too thick/chunky (I like to rinse the can of all its tomato goodness with the pasta water.) Top the cooked pasta with sauce, Parmesan, and some fresh basil !