Italian pork sausages taste wonderful when cooked in a good homemade tomato sauce and served over a bed pasta or even just on their own with mashed potato or polenta.  A salad, some crusty bread and pasta with sausages and tomato sauce make a perfect lunch.

Italian Sausages in Tomato Sauce

Ingredients:

• 6 good quality Italian pork sausages
• 2 tins chopped tomatoes
• 1 Tblsp extra virgin olive oil
• 1 small knob of butter
• 1 large onion chopped
• 2 cloves of garlic, minced
• 1 Tblsp  tomato paste
• 1/4 cup white wine
• 1/2 cup water
• 1 small whole carrot (to add some sweetness and balance any acidity in the tomatoes)
• 1/4 cup finely chopped parsley
• 1 sprig of rosemary, finely chopped
•  basil leaves, roughly torn
• 1 Tblsp chicken  or vegetable stock powder
• 1 bay leaf
• salt and freshly ground black pepper

Method:

1. In a large heavy based saucepan that has a lid, heat the oil and the knob of butter on a medium-low heat
2. Add the chopped onions and cook till translucent for about 6 minutes
3. Add the minced garlic, stir through and cook for a minute
4. Stir through the tomato paste and cook for a minute
5. Add the wine and cook for a further  couple of minutes
6. Add the chopped tomatoes and water
7. Stir through the stock powder
8. Add the parsley, basil, rosemary bay leaf and stir through.
9. Add the whole carrot to the sauce.
10. Season with salt and freshly ground black pepper.
11. Cover and simmer for 1 hour adding a little water if the sauce seems to dry out.
12. After an hour and when the sauce is well thickened, brown the sausages in another saucepan with a tablespoon of olive oil and a small knob of butter over a medium heat.
13. When browned, place the sausages in the tomato sauce spooning the sauce over them to cover them and continue to simmer for a further hour or until the sauce has thickened well.

Serve over a bed of your favourite pasta with grated parmesan cheese, a green garden salad and some crusty sourdough bread.