RECIPE MAGIC!

UPGRADE YOUR JAR OF PASTA SAUCE
JARS OF PASTA SAUCE

We all love a classic Italian pasta sauce. But without fresh ingredients on hand or without the time to let things simmer for hours, we often relent to the "jar". Let's face it we're all pressed for time and money, relying more and more on prepared foods or take-out. Yet we still crave the experience of gourmet along with healthy ingredients. Our simple trick does both. It transforms even the most basic jar of store bought sauce. 

Ultimately, a great homemade sauce leans heavily on the addition of fresh extra virgin olive oil. Adding lots of it will make a a plain jar of sauce worthy of an Italian kitchen.

On medium-low heat, in a sauce pan or skillet, add 3 tablespoons of one of our robust fresh olive oils. Add the jar of sauce (or half if you're serving two) and simmer for 15 minutes until slightly reduced. Stir occasionally. Processed jarred sauce rarely, if ever, has enough fresh olive oil; nor is it allowed to simmer for the time it takes to eliminate the bitterness of its processed canned tomatoes and paste. TIP: For an extra kick add 1/2 teaspoon dried crushed chili peppers to the olive oil before adding sauce. 

While the sauce simmers, bring a pot of water to a rolling boil. Add a tablespoon of Kosher salt (it should taste like seaside saltwater). Follow pasta package directions but remove from heat just before it's al dente.

Using tongs, transfer pasta to the sauce. Don't drain since the pasta water adds body. In fact, you'll want to add an an extra 1/4 cup more pasta water. Stir until completely coated, then simmer uncovered for another 5 minutes. Stir occasionally. 

Serve in pasta bowls, then generously drizzle with any one of our infused olive oils. Add grated or shaved parmesan and ground black pepper before serving.

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EAT HEALTHY PANTRY PACK: THE HEALTHY CHOICE
Making healthy eating with big flavour should be your new menu model for 2020. That said, it's hard to achieve without having a pantry of ingredients that feeds it, especially during the holidays. We created an Eat-Healthy Pantry Pack for families and individuals to have "healthy" extra virgin olive oil on hand, on your counter and on your table...especially for those who live far away, unable to get to our stores every week. We also listened to your important most pressing questions and developed a new TIP SHEET : health and budget tips worth sharing with friends and family.