Christmas is the feast commemorating the birth of Christ. It is fixed in the liturgical year as December 25th and is preceded by four week of fasting called Advent.Italian Pasta Sauce
- 2 28-oz. cans tomato puree
- 1 6-oz. can tomato paste
- 1 qt. chicken stock
- 2 cups dry white wine
- ¼ cup olive oil
- 2 yellow onions, peeled and minced
- 6 cloves garlic, peeled and minced
- 2 ribs of celery, with leaves, minced
- 1 unpeeled carrot, grated
- ½ cup chopped fresh parsley
- ½ lb. fresh mushrooms, chopped
- ½ tsp. crushed red pepper flakes
- 1 tbsp. dried oregano, whole
- 1 tsp. dried rosemary, whole
- 1 tbsp. dried basil, whole, or 2 tbsp. chopped fresh
- 2 whole cloves
- ½ tsp. freshly ground black pepper to taste
- 2 tbsp. salt, or to taste
- 1 tsp. sugar
Place the tomato puree, tomato paste, chicken stock, and wine in a large pot. Heat a frying pan and add the olive oil. In it sauté the onions, garlic, celery, and carrot until they just begin to brown a bit. Add the vegetables to the tomato mixture with all the remaining ingredients. Bring to a gentle boil, and then reduce to a simmer. Simmer for 2 hours, partly covered, stirring occasionally. Store in the refrigerator in plastic, glass, or stainless-steel containers-never aluminium. The sauce will keep for a week in the fridge.
