Authentic Lasagna Sauce

This is incredibly good. It's cooked down from a sauce to a paste for an hour and a half. I generally layer eggplant or zucchini and a couple of different types of cheeses (including a whisked egg with ricotta cheese for the center layers).


2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1 medium onion, diced
1 stalk celery, diced
1 red bell pepper, diced
5 cloves garlic, peel and thinly sliced
3 tbsp balsamic vinegar
1/2 c sliced black olives
2-28 oz cans of crushed tomatoes
1-14 oz can of diced tomatoes
3/4 cup red wine
2 tbsp raw sugar
1 cup chopped fresh basil
1 tbsp toasted fennel seeds or asian 5 star spice
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp ground pepper
1 tbsp lemon juice
3 tbsp brandy (optional)

Heat olive oil in large pot. Add onion, celery and red pepper and saute for 5 mins. Add garlic and saute for 2 minutes. Add balsamic. Stir in and reduce for 2-3 mins. Add olives and sundried tomatoes. Add canned tomatoes, sugar and wine. Stir in basil, fennel seeds, salt and pepper. Let simmer for one and a half hours, until sauce is reduced to near paste. Add lemon juice and brandy and let sit for 3 minutes.