Michelle’s Pasta Pazool Sauce

My mother’s a great cook.  Growing up, one of my favorite dishes she made (seems like always on Sundays) was her lasagne.  The second recipe she taught me to make was her sauce.  (The first is our family’s special Christmas cookie.)  Mom’s sauce had meat, and I became vegetarian shortly after I went to college.  Gradually, I made changes to mom’s recipe, and came up with my own.  Over the years, Mom’s cooking has become increasingly healthier with lessening meat, too.  Have no idea what her sauce looks like now….but this is how mine evolved:

Pasta Pazool (makes a crockful, enough sauce for 3 – 4 days)

vegan, -gluten

• 1 20 oz can plain tomato sauce
• 1 20 oz can plain tomato puree
• 1 zucchini, cut into coins, then quartered
• 1 summer squash, cut into coins, then quartered
• 2 bell peppers, green or or orange or yellow, chopped
• 1 1/2 handfuls cremini mushrooms, chopped
• 1/2 palmful oregano (halve that if you have fresh)
• 3 minced garlic cloves
• palmful parsley
• fresh ground black pepper to taste
• crushed red pepper to taste
• 1 carrot, cut into three chunks

Seasonally:  If you have access to homegrown or fresh organic tomatoes, chop up 3 – 4 and add small can of tomato paste (to keep the right texture).  You’ll just have more sauce.  😀  When I’ve used this with homegrown yellow tomatoes, the color is brighter and fabulous.

Toss everything into a crock pot in the morning.  Let cook on low for at least 6 hours  (more than 8 and it’ll burn).  About an hour before serving, put lid on loosely, to let it air (and the water to evaporate a little).  Remove the carrots and toss them before serving.

I make this when I’m planning a main meal, such as eggplant parmesan or lasagne.  There’s always leftovers, and I plan for the next two days to use the sauce for polenta stacks (or cups), over veggies or over pasta.   My sauce does freeze well, too.