Ingredients:
3 1/2 lb. canned plum tomatoes
3 tbsp. olive oil
16 oz ground pork
1 Spanish onion, chopped
4 bacon slices, diced
3 garlic cloves, minced
2 cups crimini mushrooms, diced
2 tbsp. tomato paste
1 1/2 cups dry red wine
1 1/2 tsp. granulated sugar, to taste
1/4 cup sage, chopped
1/4 cup basil, chopped
2 tbsp. oregano, chopped
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. freshly cracked black pepper
Serves: 8
Preparation Instructions:
Estimated Time: 60 minutes
Puree the tomatoes and their juice through a food mill into a large bowl. Scrape the pulp from the outside of the food mill and add to the puree; discard seeds.
Heat the oil in a heavy sauté pan. Add the pork and cook until browned. Add the meat to the tomatoes and set aside. Reserve the fat in the pan.
In the same sauté pan, reduce heat to low and cook the onions, bacon and garlic until the onions are translucent, about 10 minutes. Add the mushrooms and sauté for an additional 5 minutes.
Stir the tomato paste, sage and oregano into the mushroom mixture and cook 2 minutes more. Deglaze the pan with the wine and cook until reduced to one-fourth its original volume.
Add the tomato mixture to the pan and stir to combine. Bring mixture to a boil, reduce heat and simmer for 40 minutes, adjusting the seasoning with sugar after the first 20 minutes.
Before serving, basil and season with salt and pepper.