Idea Alley

Pasta sauce recipe fills reader request

Recipes that appear in Idea Alley have not been tested by the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette.

An unidentified reader shares this pasta sauce recipe in response to a request from Bertie Baker.

Tomato-Vegetable Pasta Sauce

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 onion, finely chopped

1 red bell pepper, finely chopped

1 small eggplant, peeled and diced

1 medium yellow squash, diced

1 to 2 cloves garlic, minced

1 (28-ounce) can diced or crushed tomatoes with juice OR 21/2 pounds fresh tomatoes, peeled, cored and chopped

1 teaspoon dried basil

1 teaspoon dried oregano

1 teaspoon granulated sugar

Salt and ground black pepper to taste

Crushed red pepper flakes, optional

In a deep skillet, heat oil over medium-high heat. Add the onion, bell pepper, eggplant and squash and cook, stirring occasionally, until vegetables are tender. Add the garlic and cook 1 to 2 minutes more. Stir in the tomatoes, basil, oregano and sugar. Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer at least 1 hour. Using an immersion blender, puree sauce to desired consistency. Season to taste with salt, black pepper and crushed red pepper flakes, if desired.

Makes about 5 cups.

A couple of weeks ago we ran a request for jalapeno syrup like that used in The Hive's The Belle Gone Bad cocktail.

I found this one at Tastingtable.com. It is credited to Jacob Kent of Viktor & Spoils in New York.

You'll need to experiment with the steeping period to find the right balance of sweet and heat.

Jalapeno Simple Syrup

1 cup granulated sugar

Water

1 jalapeno pepper, cut lengthwise, seeds removed

In a medium saucepan over medium heat, combine the sugar and 1 cup water and heat until the sugar dissolves. Remove from heat. Add the jalapeno and let stand 1 hour to overnight. Strain through a fine-mesh sieve. Keep refrigerated.

Makes about 1 cup.

REQUESTS

• Tomato or Tomatoes Betty for SaraLou. "Idea Alley may be my last and best hope ... My grandmother used to let me help her make Tomato Betty, which she made with homemade canned tomatoes (although I'm sure that storebought would do), white bread (which I got to tear or cube), butter and white sugar. My Grand always baked it in the oven, but a cousin told me her grandmother made it using brown sugar and added onion and bell pepper, and it was cooked on top of the stove," SaraLou writes.

• Whipped topping like the one used on the chocolate cream pie at Franke's cafeteria for Toni via email. "It is a very sturdy whipped cream topping and it is not too sweet."

• Tasty and quick dressing for coleslaw for M. Jansen.

Send recipe requests, contributions and culinary questions to Kelly Brant, Idea Alley, Arkansas Democrat-Gazette, P.O. Box 2221, Little Rock, Ark. 72203; email:

kbrant@arkansasonline.com

Please include a daytime phone number.

Food on 07/23/2014

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