19. Country-Style Spaghetti

From 2002 Southern Living Annual Recipes

So...on this cold and rainy night, I wanted spaghetti. And, I wanted a new recipe for spaghetti sauce.

What I found was a recipe that is destined to have red splatters all over the page in the cookbook...because this is now my spaghetti sauce staple.

Yep, it was that good...but what puzzles me is why. It's a pretty standard list of ingredients, and I can't identify what gives it that "special quality."

I'm not sure if it's the simplicity that, in turn, gives it purity...or whether the seasonings were just right...or if it was the flavor from the meatballs infused in the sauce that took it over the top.

Then I thought, "Don't overanalyze...just eat."

2 (28-ounce) cans diced tomatoes (I used the petite cut)

1 (6-ounce) can tomato paste

1 cup water

1 tsp. dried basil

1-1/2 tsps. salt

1/4 tsp. black pepper

1/8 tsp. dried oregano

1/8 tsp. ground red pepper

3 dozen frozen, cooked Italian-style meatballs, thawed

Hot cooked spaghetti

Stir together first eight ingredients in a large saucepan over medium-high heat.

Reduce heat and simmer, stirring occasionally, 40 minutes. Add meatballs and simmer 20 minutes. Serve over pasta.