Fresh Pasta 'n Tomato Sauce

Comfort food at its finest.  Home made noo noos and tomato sauce, with stinky cheese.  Yum.

Pasta:
1 1/2 cups durum semolina flour
2 eggs, beaten
2-3 Tbs water
2 Tbs olive oil
1/2 Tsp salt

Mix the ingredients well, using the best tool in the kitchen (your hands).  Knead on a lightly floured board for about 10 minutes.  Shape into a bar, wrap with plastic wrap, and let rest for 30-60 minutes.  Good time to let your arms rest as well.

Tomato sauce:
2 Tbs olive oil
2 Tbs butter
1 large sweet onion, diced
About 1/2 Tsp red pepper flakes
4 cloves garlic, minced
2 large cans whole plum tomatoes
1 small can tomato paste
1 bay leaf
Salt and pepper
1 Tbs sugar

Saute the onions and pepper flakes in the olive oil and butter, with a big pinch of kosher salt.  Best smell in the kitchen!

Add the garlic, and stir for about 2 minutes.  Best smell in the kitchen just got better.  Puree the tomatoes in a blender, one can at a time (unless you have a ginormous blender).  Kinda like a tomato shake.  Note that whole tomatoes, pureed, are not the same as canned tomato puree.  The latter is very thick and not good for making a reduced sauce.

Add the tomatoes, paste, and bay leaf to the pot.  Stir well, and simmer over low heat for about 2 hours, until the sauce reduces by maybe 1/3 and turns a deep, red color.  Add salt and pepper to taste, and the sugar.

Time to make the 'za.  Slice the dough into toast size pieces.  Run each through the pasta machine, starting on 1 (thickest).  After once through, fold the dough in half lengthwise, and run through again.  Repeat two more times, until you have a wider piece of dough.

Run through the machine at 3, then again at 5.  Cut the long thin piece into half.  Flour both sides, and run through the cutter.  Repeat for the remaining pieces of dough.

Cook the pasta according to package directions.  Wait, there aren't any.  Boil for about 3-4 minutes, or until just done, and drain.  Put back in the pot, and stir with a little olive oil.

Serve with parmesan or romano.  Chow!  Ciao!

Ahhhhhh.