Cooking: Pasta Sauce

Pasta sauce seems like the sort of thing everyone makes at some point. Do you have a particular go-to sauce? Or know a really good recipe? I'm kind of tired of what I've been doing and rather than cruising the intarnet for random recipe websites I thought I'd ask styleforum.

3 tb olive oil
fresh garlic
dried oregeno
basil (fresh if you can get it)
15 oz diced tom
15 oz tom sauce
6 oz tomato paste
(optional)
diced onion, carrots
1 tb sugar

heat olive oil with garlic in it (sautee 1 minute) if you like onion, comes in here

then add in basil and oregeno stir one minute

then add in tomato

cook on low for however long you'd like

cook on high for 10 minutes

Ciao!

Originally Posted by NewYorkRanger

Click to expand...

3 tb olive oil
fresh garlic
dried oregeno
basil (fresh if you can get it)
15 oz diced tom
15 oz tom sauce
6 oz tomato paste
(optional)
diced onion, carrots
1 tb sugar

heat olive oil with garlic in it (sautee 1 minute) if you like onion, comes in here

then add in basil and oregeno stir one minute

then add in tomato

cook on low for however long you'd like

cook on high for 10 minutes

Ciao!

This sounds like it would be good. It's pretty similar to mine, though I use more vegetables and some slightly different ingredients, and I've received positive feedback on the sauce I make.

Here's the one I use:


Ingredients

* 2 (28-ounce) cans whole, peeled tomatoes
* 1/4 cup sherry vinegar
* 1/4 cup sugar
* 1 teaspoon red pepper flakes
* 1 teaspoon dried oregano
* 1 teaspoon dried basil
* 1 onion
* 1 carrot
* 1 stalk celery
* 2 ounces olive oil
* 4 cloves garlic, minced
* 3 tablespoons capers, rinsed and drained
* 1/2 cup white wine
* Kosher salt and black pepper, to taste

Directions

In a sieve over a medium non-reactive saucepot, strain the tomatoes of their juice into the sauce pot. Add the sherry vinegar, sugar, red pepper flakes, oregano, and basil to the tomato juice. Stir and cook over high heat. Once bubbles begin to form on the surface, reduce to a simmer. Allow liquid to reduce by 1/2 or until liquid has thickened to a loose syrup consistency.

Squeeze each tomato thoroughly to ensure most seeds are removed. Set the tomatoes aside.

Cut carrot, onion, and celery into uniform sizes and combine with olive oil and garlic in a non-reactive roasting pan over low heat. Sweat the mirepoix until the carrots are tender and the onion becomes translucent, 15 to 20 minutes. Add the tomatoes and capers to the roasting pan.

Place roasting pan on the middle rack of the oven and broil for 15 to 20 minutes, stirring every 5 minutes. Tomatoes should start to brown slightly on edges with light caramelization. Remove the pan from the broiler. Place the pan over 2 burners on the stove. Add the white wine to the tomatoes and cook for 2 to 3 more minutes over medium heat.

Put the tomatoes into a deep pot or bowl and add the reduced tomato liquid to the tomatoes. Blend to desired consistency and adjust seasoning.

Cooking a good gravy is more of an art than a science. Everybody has their little thing that makes their different. Mine is pretty classic southern italian. I dont think measurments apply because everything, at least in my case, comes down to personal taste. I like a lot of garlic for instance. This sauce takes about 6-12 hours to make depending on how long you have. You start it early on Sunday morning and you should eat around 3 or 4, but the longer you cook it the better it gets.

Here is what you will need:

Olive Oil
Garlic
Basil (fresh)
Oregano (fresh)
Salt and Pepper
A couple of cans of peeled or crushed tomatoes (you can also just boil some fresh tomatoes, core them, and put them in the pan)
a can or two of tomato paste
A rack or two of baby back rips
Some hot sausage
Meatballs (I use ground beef, veal, and pork, then add 2 or 3 eggs per pound and some crusty old bread)

Now I cook this all day, so you want the heat on very low, if your stove has 1-10, I would put it on 2 or 3.

1. First chop and sautà the garlic a bit pot with some olive oil

2. Next add the crushed tomatoes and tomato paste
the more paste you add the thicker it will be

3. Start browning the meatballs in a frying pan, when browned, throw them in the pot

4. Do the same with the sausage, and throw them in the pot

5. Same with the ribs.

6. Now just let the gravy cook, stirring often. You can add basil, oregano, salt, and pepper to taste.

In a few hours you will have a beautiful home-cooked gravy. The ribs should be falling off the bone by the time your done.

Like I said, its more of an art than a science, its hard to ******* up, if you put too much paste in, then add a few more crushed tomatoes. Just do everything to taste, thats the way my grandma taught me at least.

Originally Posted by Piobaire

Click to expand...

Here's the one I use:


Ingredients

* 2 (28-ounce) cans whole, peeled tomatoes
* 1/4 cup sherry vinegar
* 1/4 cup sugar
* 1 teaspoon red pepper flakes
* 1 teaspoon dried oregano
* 1 teaspoon dried basil
* 1 onion
* 1 carrot
* 1 stalk celery
* 2 ounces olive oil
* 4 cloves garlic, minced
* 3 tablespoons capers, rinsed and drained
* 1/2 cup white wine
* Kosher salt and black pepper, to taste

Directions

In a sieve over a medium non-reactive saucepot, strain the tomatoes of their juice into the sauce pot. Add the sherry vinegar, sugar, red pepper flakes, oregano, and basil to the tomato juice. Stir and cook over high heat. Once bubbles begin to form on the surface, reduce to a simmer. Allow liquid to reduce by 1/2 or until liquid has thickened to a loose syrup consistency.

Squeeze each tomato thoroughly to ensure most seeds are removed. Set the tomatoes aside.

Cut carrot, onion, and celery into uniform sizes and combine with olive oil and garlic in a non-reactive roasting pan over low heat. Sweat the mirepoix until the carrots are tender and the onion becomes translucent, 15 to 20 minutes. Add the tomatoes and capers to the roasting pan.

Place roasting pan on the middle rack of the oven and broil for 15 to 20 minutes, stirring every 5 minutes. Tomatoes should start to brown slightly on edges with light caramelization. Remove the pan from the broiler. Place the pan over 2 burners on the stove. Add the white wine to the tomatoes and cook for 2 to 3 more minutes over medium heat.

Put the tomatoes into a deep pot or bowl and add the reduced tomato liquid to the tomatoes. Blend to desired consistency and adjust seasoning.

That much sugar in pasta sauce is some kinda Canadian bullshit.

I will make a pesto when I can get basil from a farmers market. It will keep in the fridge fine.

I also add carrots to red sauce because I like it and I believe it cuts down on the acidity of the tomatoes. I have no problem with people adding sugar to their sauce.

A little half and half or similar is also a nice addition to reduce the acidity.

Originally Posted by Bartolo

Click to expand...

A little half and half or similar is also a nice addition to reduce the acidity.
I did not know this. I will try this.

Originally Posted by lawyerdad

Click to expand...

That much sugar in pasta sauce is some kinda Canadian bullshit.

Ya, seems like an awful lot of sugar. Shouldnt it also be dependant on the ripeness of your tomatos?

K

I like a good Neapolitan pizzaiolo...

couple of good glugs of olive oil
4-6 salt-packed anchovies, rinsed of salt, patted dry and chopped finely
2-3 good-sized cloves of garlic, peeled and chopped finely
large can of diced Italian San Marzano plum tomatoes
fresh or dried oregano, to taste (chopped finely if fresh)
finely chopped Italian (not curly-leaf) parsley, OPTIONAL

- Heat the olive oil in a midsized pot on medium-low heat
- Add chopped anchovies, let cook for 3-4 minutes, stirring, until they break up
- Add garlic, cook for another 1-2 minutes
- Add tomatoes and oregano, let cook for 15-20 minutes or as long as you can stand the aroma for without wanting to eat it all
- A minute or two before serving, throw in parsley if using

M. Bardamu that sounds awesome. I will have to try that.

Originally Posted by Ahab

Click to expand...

M. Bardamu that sounds awesome. I will have to try that.
+1. Never tried anchovies in sauce before.

Originally Posted by lawyerdad

Click to expand...

That much sugar in pasta sauce is some kinda Canadian bullshit.

I got the recipe from a Yank. One, Alton Brown.

Originally Posted by Piobaire

Click to expand...

I got the recipe from a Yank. One, Alton Brown.
Give Mario Batali's sauce a try. I find it to be much better than Alton's. I'm as big of an Alton fan as there is but his sauce is lacking.