Eden Hertzog is pregnant…and hungry
When it came time to tackle the daunting, and also very exciting, task of purchasing the must-haves for a new baby, I wrote a list. Well, three lists actually. And then, staying true to the businesswoman in me, I turned the list into a spreadsheet. I consulted with many moms on what the must-haves are (because, come on, this baby stuff can get out of hand) and finished my list from there.
I realized that the excitement of starting a family can be easily transferred over to whipping out my credit card to buy the cutest thing in the world. As I perused websites and thought about registries, I found myself longing for simplicity. I decided I would keep things as straightforward as possible.
In honour of keeping it simple, I would like to share with you the craving that came out of the list-making, baby shopping whirlwind. This is my most favourite dish in all the world: spaghetti with homemade tomato sauce. This is as simple as it gets. And it is, in my opinion, the best thing ever.
Spaghetti with Tomato Sauce
Serves 2.
1 28oz can of whole peeled plum tomatoes (I like Thomas’ Utopia)
1 clove garlic, minced
1 medium cooking onion, diced
2 tbsp olive oil
1 tbsp butter
pinch of red chili flakes
1 tsp sugar
a few basil leaves, chopped
salt and pepper
a Parmesan rind if you have one
Heat olive oil and butter in a shallow saucepan at medium-high heat. Throw in your garlic, then onions, and give them a stir. Add chili flakes and basil and give it another stir. Let these ingredients cook together for a minute or two.
Add your tomatoes. One thing I like to do is use a masher to squash the tomatoes because I like a smoother sauce. Add your sugar, salt and pepper, stir again, and then lower to a simmer. (If you have a small chunk of a Parmesan rind, now’s the time to throw that in too. Put the lid on the pan, but leave it open just a crack.)
Go do something else, like look at muslin swaddling blankets online, and let it cook down for an hour.
Come back. Boil your pasta. Then eat it with your delicious sauce. Add salt and pepper to taste, and of course some fresh-grated Parmesan. Yes, I swear that is all there is to it. I hope I have just proved my point.
Eden Hertzog is the pregnant Baker Babe behind New Moon Kitchen.
