In my house we take liberties with pasta sauce. Left to his own devices, my roommate will throw in juniper berries, birch syrup, preserved oranges. Cocoa powder. I tend more to soya sauce, powdered shaggy manes. Anchovy paste. Kalamata olives.

It can get out of hand.

Some nights we whittle the extravagances down in each of our versions; he leaves out the juniper berries, I might forgo the shaggy mane powder. Sighs of relief are breathed. Ingredients no longer war, but blend in harmony. Flavours become intelligible, though no doubt a far cry from anything authentically Italian.

The cinnamon in this version comes from Greece; the cocoa powder from old Canadian recipes for game; and the lemon from I don’t know where, maybe Morocco? It adds a nice bite, and my roommate finds it an acceptable substitute when we don’t have preserved oranges.

Everyone needs a pasta sauce in their repertoire, stored in yogurt containers in the freezer for those nights when inspiration is thin on the ground. Lately, we’ve been having ours when one of us comes home late from evening commitments like choir or school—we shouldn’t be eating at 9 p.m., but who’s going to know? (Well, you are, of course.)

Here’s a pasta sauce. Laugh at it, if you will; leave stuff out if you don’t have it, and if you’re feeling feisty—hell … throw in some juniper berries.

Best (for now) Moose Sausage Pasta Sauce
Yield: 4-6

Best (for now) Moose Sausage Pasta Sauce

Ingredients

  • 1 lb mild or spicy Italian moose sausage (4 to 5 links)
  • 1 medium onion, chopped
  • 3 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1 cup diced red pepper or carrot
  • 2 Tbsp olive oil
  • 2 tsp dried oregano
  • 1 tsp cinnamon
  • 1 tsp cocoa powder
  • 2 Tbsp tomato paste
  • 1 cup red wine
  • 1 28 oz can plum tomatoes
  • 1/2 cup Kalamata olives, pitted and torn in half
  • One quarter of a fresh lemon, sliced into small triangles
  • Salt and pepper, to taste
  • To Finish
  • Olive oil at the end adds depth and richness; garlic adds pungency; and vinegar, just a hint of brightness.
  • 2 Tbsp olive oil
  • 1 tsp red wine vinegar
  • 1 clove garlic, minced
  • Parmesan cheese

Instructions

  1. Sear sausages on all sides in a dry frying pan (cast iron if you have it) over medium heat. Remove to a plate and set aside.
  2. Pour 2 Tbsp olive oil into the same pan and add onion. Sauté until limp and transparent, about 5 to 7 minutes. Add garlic and sauté another 2 minutes. Stir in carrots or red pepper and sauté until the edges begin to soften, 4 to 5 minutes.
  3. Stir in seasonings, followed by the tomato paste. Add red wine and allow to cook down for 3 to 4 minutes.
  4. Add plum tomatoes, breaking up the chunks with a fork.
  5. Slice seared sausages into medallions, about 1/2-inch thick, and stir into the sauce.
  6. Stir in the olives and lemon slices.
  7. Turn heat to medium low and simmer for 30 to 40 minutes, until thick and aromatic. Taste for seasonings and add salt and pepper as needed.
  8. Put a large pot of water on to boil and, when it’s ready, cook 450 grams of long, skinny pasta of your choice—linguine, spaghetti or spaghettini.
  9. About 5 minutes before serving, stir olive oil, garlic and red wine vinegar into the pasta sauce and allow to cook until the vinegar loses its sharpness and the garlic no longer smells raw, about 4 minutes. 
  10. Serve in pasta bowls with thin shavings of Parmesan cheese and a salad and crusty bread on the side.
Best (for now) Moose Sausage Pasta Sauce
Best (for now) Moose Sausage Pasta Sauce.

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