Spanish Spaghetti

So far I’m doing pretty well with my goal of trying at least one new recipe a week. In case you haven’t noticed, I’m a fan of simple and delicious recipes. I don’t have a ton of money to spend on fancy rare ingredients or lots of space in my kitchen, so when a recipe can be made all in one pot like this one, I’m all over it!

Recipe from Food Network; adapted 

Ingredients

• 3/4 pound sweet Italian sausage, cut into 1/2-inch chunks
• Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
• 1 teaspoon dried marjoram or oregano
• 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 2 medium onions, diced
• 3 carrots, chopped
• 3 cloves garlic, chopped
• 2 bay leaves
• 3/4 cup tomato sauce
• 12 ounces spaghetti, broken into 3-inch pieces*
• Grated manchego or parmesan cheese, for garnish (optional)*

*That’s actually vermicelli in the picture because I didn’t have enough spaghetti, but any thin, round noodle will do really! Also, I don’t eat cheese, but I’ll always mention the option for all you cheese lovers out there ;)

Directions

Bring a large kettle or pot of water to a boil. Season the sausage with 2 teaspoons salt, 1 teaspoon pepper and the marjoram. Heat the olive oil in a heavy-bottomed pot over high heat. Add the sausage and brown on all sides, about 5 minutes. Transfer to a plate with a slotted spoon.

Add the onions, garlic, bay leaves and tomato puree to the pot. Reduce the heat and cook, stirring, until the oil turns deep red and the onions are tender, 6 to 8 minutes (If you like crispier carrots like I do, add them after the onions are tender and cook for another 2 minutes. If you prefer softer carrots, add them at the same time as the onions). If the onions are sticking, add a splash of water and scrape the bottom of the pan with a wooden spoon.

Add the spaghetti to the onion/carrot mixture and stir-fry until golden, about 6 minutes. Add the sausage and enough boiling water to cover the pasta by 1/2 inch (this is important- don’t add too much water or your sauce will be too thin). Simmer, stirring once or twice, until the pasta is al dente and the sauce thickens, about 10 minutes. Season with salt and pepper and garnish with cheese, if desired.