# Never made an Italian tomato sauce. What's you best recipe?



## PalmRoyale (Jan 19, 2019)

I don't really need to write down more, do I?


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## parbaked (Jan 19, 2019)

The most important thing is to use San Marzano tomatoes.

2 tablespoons of your best olive oil in a heavy pot with some red chili flakes.
Sweat finely diced onions
Add finely diced garlic and cook until you can smell it
Add can of San Marzano tomatoes ( you can break up the tomatoes before adding or just crush them in the pot).
Add couple of basil leaves (optional)
Cook on low simmer for at least one hour.
Salt and pepper to taste
This is a good base sauce that you can use in other recipes.
For a richer sauce you can cook a tablespoon or two of tomato paste into the onions before adding the tomatoes.


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## HRC_64 (Jan 19, 2019)

what are you making and what are you trying to 'sauce'? 
not to be pedantic, but it helps...


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## brianh (Jan 19, 2019)

The way I do it anyway... couple cups finely diced carrots sautéed for maybe 15 minutes, then add cup finely diced celery, go another 10 min or so, and 1-2c diced onions and go until soft. Add lots of smashed garlic. Couple large cans hand-crushed Muir Glen organic peeled tomatoes, or mix it up with one regular can and one fire roasted. Handful fresh basil, dried Italian herbs. Simmer few hours then hit with a stick blender. Cooking the carrots so long adds a nice sweetness so I usually don’t need to add sugar. Add salt and pepper.


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## jacko9 (Jan 19, 2019)

1) olive oil
2) sweat diced onions
3)add crushed garlic and red chili flakes, salt and pepper
4)add canned crushed tomatoes (fresh from the garden in summer)
5)add tomato sauce
6)add brown sugar
7)add wine (marsala or dry white)
8)add tomato paste
9) add chopped basil and oregano ( I use fresh from the garden)
10) add water as needed
11) add browned italian sausage for flavor
12) bring to boil and lower heat to simmer for several hours


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## 9mmbhp (Jan 19, 2019)

parbaked's recipe is very similar to Marcella Hazan's simple tomato sauce - can of tomatoes, an onion, 4-5 tbsp butter.


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## dough (Jan 19, 2019)

So as I understand it there are different types of tomato sauce depending on the quality of your tomatoes. If you have really good tomatoes (all canned San marzano are not created equally) or you could have some piennolo tomatoes anyway with these types of tomatoes you pass through a food mill then heat some olive oil, I tend to use more neutral tasting oil as stronger oil can take over the flavor of the tomatoes, toast some garlic in the oil and add 12oz of milled tomatoes with a pinch of salt. Reduce for about ten minutes add fresh basil and cooked pasta. Toss your pasta in the sauce til the sauce and pasta come together takes a few minutes then plate. You can finish with fancier oil on the plate if you like. That I believe is a pomodoro.
Marinara is another thing and a longer cooked sauce. The key with that is to strain off the foam as it reduces. Once it stops producing foam then you are about done it really shouldn’t be too tight unless that’s how you like it the by all means do you but not how I was taught. Also marinara is more like recipes above with garlic/onions/Basil.


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## panda (Jan 19, 2019)

parbaked said:


> The most important thing is to use San Marzano tomatoes.
> 
> 2 tablespoons of your best olive oil in a heavy pot with some red chili flakes.
> Sweat finely diced onions
> ...


This recipe is on point. Definitely do the tomato paste make sure it gets caramelized.


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## PalmRoyale (Jan 19, 2019)

I want to try a simple pasta+meat balls+sauce dish. I saw that my local super market now sells Mutti finely chopped canned tomatoes which as I understand it is a go to brand in Italy so it must be the best quality San Marzano tomatoes. For some reason I've never really tried Italian cooking and seeing the can gave me a kick in the butt I guess.


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## Trouthead (Jan 19, 2019)

My grandmother always said that oregano was for Pizza and basil was for sauce. She always put some sugar in the sauce, like a tablespoon or so.


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## parbaked (Jan 19, 2019)

PalmRoyale said:


> I want to try a simple pasta+meat balls+sauce dish. I saw that my local super market now sells Mutti finely chopped canned tomatoes which as I understand it is a go to brand in Italy so it must be the best quality San Marzano tomatoes.



Mutti is definitely not San Marzano tomatoes...maybe Italian, but not the best. You should try to source real D.O.P. certified San Marzano tomatoes for the best sauce. 

For spaghetti and meatballs, make the base sauce as I directed, brown the meatballs, then finish cooking in the tomatoes sauce.

My meatball recipe is in this thread:
https://www.kitchenknifeforums.com/threads/italian-meatballs-with-sauce-ideas-needed.35564/

This what I do. Based on my Neapolitan Nana's recipe...simple is better.

1. Make tomato sauce. You can make a large batch to use as a base sauce for so many recipes. I freeze 1 cup or 1/2 cup portions which are always handy.
Saute finely diced onions then garlic. Add a little tomato paste and cook that out. Add DOP San Marzano tomatoes. It's worth it. Most have a piece of basil in the can. Cento brand is widely available and not expensive. Simmer the sauce low while you start the other tasks. I don't add wine or herbs to this base sauce but add those later when I cook the meatballs.

2. Make meatballs.
I use pork, beef, egg, bread, parmesan and a puree of onion parsley and garlic. Soak finely cut or torn white bread without crust in a little milk (or water if you're poor like my Nana). Squeeze out the bread and save milk to add to meatballs mix if needed. Don't use store bought bread crumbs, especially not the one's with "Italian" seasoning. In a pinch you can use a slurry of panko and milk. Mix all this with the ground meat, cheese and veggie puree. Let this sit in fridge for at least 30 minutes for the flavors to meld and the bread to absorb liquids etc. Remove mixture from fridge and hand form meatballs (lightly as possible) when you are ready to cook them. 

3. Cook it!
I like to fry the meatballs off in a large saute pan or shallow pot. This way you get a lot of fond to flavor the sauce, especially if you included parmesan in the meatball mix. Brown the meatballs on all sides then remove. Sweat fine cut onions and garlic and red pepper flake in residual oil. Deglaze with white wine then add a few ladles of your base sauce. You can also add any leftover milk from the bread soaking if desired. Add back the meatballs and simmer for 20-30 minutes. I don't like to overcook the meatballs as they can loose flavor and texture. With all that fond, 20 minutes is plenty to flavor the tomato sauce, especially if you don't use too much. 

4. Serve...I like to serve the meatballs and pasta separately. 
Cook up your favorite pasta. Plate the meatballs on s platter with a dollop of sauce, fresh parmesan and some fresh parsley or basil and a splash of olive oil. Finish cooking pasta in remaining sauce. Plate pasta individually topped with parmesan, parsley/basil olive oil and fresh pepper. Serve each guest their plate of pasta with the platter of meatballs and a bowl of any remaining tomato sauce on the middle of the table to share.

Yes, they do taste even better the next day so make enough to have leftovers...Enjoy!


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## WildBoar (Jan 19, 2019)

I made 2 batches this week for a lunch I was hosting today. First one had a bit more in it than parbaked's recipe, such as a little bacon, minced carrot, some white wine and a shot of vodka. Problem was the canned tomatoes I bought turned out to be horrible -- no acid at all, and zero tomato flavor. Part of it was buying crushed tomatoes instead of whole peeled, but I have bought the same brand before and the crushed tomatoes have been okay.

Wound up doing an emergency second batch last night, using canned whole tomatoes. I put a little onion and garlic in first, but skipped adding any pork or needed ( I needed to get it to a reasonable point quickly). Other then some salt and dried basil there was nothing else. The sauce turned out fine.


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## parbaked (Jan 19, 2019)

WildBoar said:


> Part of it was buying crushed tomatoes instead of whole peeled, but I have bought the same brand before and the crushed tomatoes have been okay.
> .



I forgot to add that one should always use the whole peeled tomatoes...crushed or diced tomatoes are for tacos & chili...

Also, no dried oregano or "Italian seasoning" please. I do fresh basil or nothing.


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## PalmRoyale (Jan 19, 2019)

parbaked said:


> Mutti is definitely not San Marzano tomatoes...maybe Italian, but not the best. You should try to source real D.O.P. certified San Marzano tomatoes for the best sauce.



Just found out Mutti does do canned San Marzano DOP certified tomatoes and they're available at another supermarket. I'm going to buy a can of those and mix it with the Mutti finely chopped tomatoes.


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## brianh (Jan 19, 2019)

I would try various brands of canned tomatoes without getting stuck on them being San Marzano. I used San Marzano for years but now prefer the clean, fresh taste of whole peeled Muir Glen.


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## parbaked (Jan 19, 2019)

PalmRoyale said:


> Thaty's going to be difficult and very expensive here in the Netherlands so I have to make due with what's available.



Don't go for a purist recipe then.
Try the Mutti...add a little sugar if it taste too acidic.
My suggestion would be to make meaty pasta sauces to compensate for the crap tomatoes.
Add bacon and mire poix.
If your meatballs are great, and you cook them in the sauce, they will help compensate for the less than optimal tomato product.


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## PalmRoyale (Jan 19, 2019)

parbaked said:


> If your meatballs are great, and you cook them in the sauce, they will help compensate for the less than optimal tomato product.


I make awesome meatballs that make anything taste good


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## parbaked (Jan 19, 2019)

Let us know how it turns out...


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## PalmRoyale (Jan 19, 2019)

I will but tomorrow it's chilli time  The pasta+meat balls is on the menu on Monday.


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## WildBoar (Jan 19, 2019)

parbaked said:


> My suggestion would be to make meaty pasta sauces to compensate for the crap tomatoes.
> Add bacon and mire poix.


That is exactly what I did on my first batch. The sauce was okay if you didn't know it was supposed to be a tomato sauce  I used some of it in the layers of a lasagna I made, but to top off the lasagna and for serving I needed real tomato flavor, which meant a new batch.

We actually have a bit of canned and frozen plum tomatoes from our garden last summer, but the luncheon was not worth me sacrificing any of that (it's only enough for 2-3 good batches over the winter and spring, which are reserved for family).

The second batch used the Muir Glen peeled whole tomatoes. The grocery store had no DOP/ San Marzanos during either of my visits, which was weird as they usually have some. Guess I will stock up at Restaurant Depot. But the Muir Glen's had very good flavor; I was happy with the sauce, even though it was more of a 'quick' sauce vs the long-simmered sauce I usually make.


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## panda (Jan 19, 2019)

i like to use sausage and pancetta in my red sauce for spaghetti instead of making meatballs. i do use ground beef when making angel hair however.

dont get caught up on tomato can brand, i always get what ever is on sale that is marked DOP san marzano. if you want to get fancy with it, try adding fresh campari tomatoes but roasted in 500deg oven first.


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## WildBoar (Jan 19, 2019)

panda said:


> i like to use sausage and pancetta in my red sauce for spaghetti instead of making meatballs.


You are really supposed to use sausages AND meatballs if you want to do it right...

You chefs, always cutting corners to get food out.


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## panda (Jan 19, 2019)

well in pro setting i do a braised pork neck ragu (which has pancetta added) AND meatballs which is a 2-day prep process, def no cut corners there.


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## boomchakabowwow (Jan 19, 2019)

I like Cento brand tomatoes. I usually use the crushed version. 

My simple sauce. 

I grate some onions. Sauté in some butter. Pinch of red pepper flakes. Garlic. Salt. 

Dump in tomatoes. Toss in pasta. Add diced basil. 

Boom.


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## Anton (Jan 19, 2019)

throw an anchovy or two after those onions finish frying and before the tomatoes go in - it does wonders


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## Anton (Jan 19, 2019)

panda said:


> well in pro setting i do a braised pork neck ragu (which has pancetta added) AND meatballs which is a 2-day prep process, def no cut corners there.


serious business - always


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## panda (Jan 19, 2019)

im weird in that i dont like to eat fresh pasta, much prefer dried cause it's way more al dente. but ya know, restaurant setting gotta make it fresh... whatevers.

all this pasta talk got me wanting some pappardelle and short rib with calabrian chillies.
or some bucatini carbonara


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## brianh (Jan 19, 2019)

panda said:


> im weird in that i dont like to eat fresh pasta, much prefer dried cause it's way more al dente. but ya know, restaurant setting gotta make it fresh... whatevers.



+1 to this!


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## Anton (Jan 19, 2019)

Gonna defrost some oxtail and make a ragu


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## dough (Jan 19, 2019)

panda said:


> im weird in that i dont like to eat fresh pasta, much prefer dried cause it's way more al dente. but ya know, restaurant setting gotta make it fresh... whatevers.
> 
> all this pasta talk got me wanting some pappardelle and short rib with calabrian chillies.
> or some bucatini carbonara



Just curious and hopefully not to hijack what’s your carbonara recipe?


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## parbaked (Jan 19, 2019)

dough said:


> Just curious and hopefully not to hijack what’s your carbonara recipe?


She's no Panda but this is a good watch...


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## panda (Jan 19, 2019)

make a base by pan frying garlic, shallot, onion, bay leaf, pancetta & guanciale or proscuitto & bacon, red pepper flake, deglaze with white wine, i do add heavy cream and reduce, whisk egg yolks separate, toss it all together once pasta is done cooking. add grated parm or pecorino, cracked peppercorn medley(pink, green, black), and garnish with parsley and squeeze of lemon.

yes, it's awesome for breakfast


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## HRC_64 (Jan 19, 2019)

Cabonara is something that can be done very lightly on the ingredients. 



> Carbonara has egg yolk, Pecorino Romano, guanciale, black pepper, and pasta. Under no circumstances can be there be any other additions, and that goes double for cream.



the dish is meant to be a protein-fortified peasant dish (pasta with oil+aromatics) 
loading the pasta base with protein (eggs, dried cheese, cured meat) 
the incredients should all be of shelf, and shelf-stable (eggs, dried cheese, cured meat, black pepper, etc) 

AFAIK, fresh cream doesn't fit the dish in any way...
the sauce isn't a cream-sauce, or a cream+cheese sauce.

the sauce is more akin to aglio e olio finished with raw yolk 
and cheese (like some risottos)

I know there are some people that do it differently, 
but its worth at least hearing the other side of the story.

Edit: i personaly use onion in the base/fat and finish with fresh nutmeg...
but every body is gonna be a bit differnt


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## panda (Jan 19, 2019)

Yes to nutmeg, forgot to mention that.

It's not authentic but I don't like this dish without cream.


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## parbaked (Jan 20, 2019)

If you use only the egg yolks it gets really creamy...


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## WildBoar (Jan 20, 2019)

panda said:


> well in pro setting i do a braised pork neck ragu (which has pancetta added) AND meatballs which is a 2-day prep process, def no cut corners there.


that's good. I was beginning to worry about you!


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## WildBoar (Jan 20, 2019)

panda said:


> im weird in that i dont like to eat fresh pasta, much prefer dried cause it's way more al dente. but ya know, restaurant setting gotta make it fresh... whatevers.
> 
> all this pasta talk got me wanting some pappardelle and short rib with calabrian chillies.
> or some bucatini carbonara


Made a sauce last weekend from some braised oxtail I had in the freezer. Decided to dive in and make a really wide fresh pasta to go with it. Basically large squares/ rectangles like the 'torn pasta' (can't remember the name right now). The bigger pasta definitely went well with the sauce.

BTW, I used a mix of AP flour and semolina (2:1), which added some texture to the pasta.


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## alterwisser (Jan 20, 2019)

9mmbhp said:


> parbaked's recipe is very similar to Marcella Hazan's simple tomato sauce - can of tomatoes, an onion, 4-5 tbsp butter.



That's what I am making for the kids and even the pickiest (visiting) kids always beg for a second serving ...


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## alterwisser (Jan 20, 2019)

not a tomato sauce, but my go to pasta sauce for an easy dinner when friends are coming over:

diced onion and garlic (about two small onions and 4 garlic), sweated in olive oil ...

Crumble in meat from 4 (about 500 grams) fresh italian fennel sausage (I have an italian butcher here who makes it fresh for me, just the filling ... as the casing would be thrown away anyway ...)

Brown the meat

shower it with a healthy dose of red wine (300ml, but I usually let the sauce cook for a long time so I add more wine later), add a tube or 1.5 small cans of tomato puree (I am generous with the stuff usually), salt, pepper and some sugar ...

That's it!


Couple of things I picked up in Italy from a real Italian mom this summer: put a LOT of salt in the water when it's dry pasta (she literally used two handfuls of sea salt) ... pour a very healthy amount of olive oil over the pasta when in serving bowl (or pot), then another very healthy dose after you put pasta with sauce on your plate ...


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## parbaked (Jan 20, 2019)

alterwisser said:


> Couple of things I picked up in Italy from a real Italian mom this summer: put a LOT of salt in the water when it's dry pasta (she literally used two handfuls of sea salt) ... pour a very healthy amount of olive oil over the pasta when in serving bowl (or pot), then another very healthy dose after you put pasta with sauce on your plate ...



Interesting...my Grandmother was from outside of Naples and taught me different. Must be a regional thing...

Yes, lots of salt in the pasta water. I was taught it should be salty like the ocean.

However, I was taught to never oil the pasta before coating it with sauce. The oil prevents the sauce from adhering to the pasta. Likewise, never rinse the cooked pasta before saucing. You want the residual starch to coat the pasta before saucing. 

I was taught to always finish cooking the pasta for the last two minutes in the sauce so that the pasta absorbs the flavor of the sauce. Then finish with fresh herbs and a pour of your best olive oil...


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## Mucho Bocho (Jan 20, 2019)

Parbaked your GM taught you well. When I think tomato sauce. 
I’m thinking something along the lines of a marinara sauce. Sure can through anything in it, o guess. I’m looking to try to create a very pure tensely tomato tomato sauce. The biggest secret that most people miss out on is not sautéing the tomatoes and paste if you’re using it in olive oil until it is brown and sticky. Then add your canned whole tomatoes and let it simmer for an hour or so.


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## dough (Jan 20, 2019)

parbaked said:


> She's no Panda but this is a good watch...



Honestly this is how I currently make it at work which I understand is the classic Napoli way or so I’m told. (Similar to Cacio di Pepe to me) But I asked panda bc I generally dig his style and while it may not be super traditional I’m not Italian. I do respect Italian cooking when cooking for an Italian missing home but I lean towards panda style. Imo the sauce panda describes is more full bodied. Perhaps it doesn’t appeal to a Napoli man/woman who lives Napoli flavors. I am personally really trying to work on these definitions bc Napoli cooking is pretty but also rather disinterested in anything else.


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## parbaked (Jan 20, 2019)

Italian cooking is super regional.
Carbonara is Roman.
People from Napoli aren't allowed to have an opinion on the correct way to Carbonara...

There's nothing wrong with modifying the classic recipes, but it is good to also master the classic preparation.
At home I often make carbonara with anything that's good with bacon & eggs e.g. mushrooms, spinach, shallots.
The only point of contention is that a Roman would say that carbonara with cream or garlic shouldn't be called carbonara.

As Panda said, it's not authentic but it's tasty.


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## HRC_64 (Jan 20, 2019)

dough said:


> Honestly this is how I currently make it at work which I understand is the classic Napoli way or so I’m told. (Similar to Cacio di Pepe to me) But I asked panda bc I generally dig his style and while it may not be super traditional I’m not Italian. I do respect Italian cooking when cooking for an Italian missing home but I lean towards panda style. Imo the sauce panda describes is more full bodied. Perhaps it doesn’t appeal to a Napoli man/woman who lives Napoli flavors. I am personally really trying to work on these definitions bc Napoli cooking is pretty but also rather disinterested in anything else.



[ed: parbaked beat me to it, but Cabonara is not from Naples, but Rome]

At some stage "good cooking" doesn't give a crap about authenticity, its more to the point that sometimes certain dishes are created in certan ways for certain reasons -- to be easy to make, to be nutritionally balanced, to be econmical, locally sourced, etc) 

So sometimes its worthwhile to make a note that successful variations can be done in differnt styles.


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## parbaked (Jan 20, 2019)

HRC_64 said:


> So sometimes its worthwhile to make a note that successful variations can be done in differnt styles.



So true but unlike Panda I can't afford cream...we folk from Napoli be poor!


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## boomchakabowwow (Jan 22, 2019)

Anton said:


> throw an anchovy or two after those onions finish frying and before the tomatoes go in - it does wonders


True! 

Sometimes I just appreciate a bright and vegetal sauce. A squirt of tomato paste helps as well with the glutamates.


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## PalmRoyale (Jan 22, 2019)

The sauce turned out very nice. I started with softly frying 2 chopped onions, when they were soft and sweet I added 2 cloves of finely chopped garlic and a bit of tomato paste. I let it fry some more, added the canned tomatoes, a pinch of salt and pepper and basil. I finished it off with a bit of fat from the meatballs.


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## boomchakabowwow (Jan 22, 2019)

PalmRoyale said:


> The sauce turned out very nice. I started with softly frying 2 chopped onions, when they were soft and sweet I added 2 cloves of finely chopped garlic and a bit of tomato paste. I let it fry some more, added the canned tomatoes, a pinch of salt and pepper and basil. I finished it off with a bit of fat from the meatballs.


 Love it. 

I forget. I usually add a pinch of red pepper flakes to the oil right before the onions 

Someone told me, the smaller the onion dice; the sweeter the final product.


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## playero (Feb 12, 2019)

jacko9 said:


> 1) olive oil
> 2) sweat diced onions
> 3)add crushed garlic and red chili flakes, salt and pepper
> 4)add canned crushed tomatoes (fresh from the garden in summer)
> ...



Which basil and which oregano?


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## Mucho Bocho (Feb 12, 2019)

Brown sugar?


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## playero (Feb 12, 2019)

alterwisser said:


> not a tomato sauce, but my go to pasta sauce for an easy dinner when friends are coming over:
> 
> diced onion and garlic (about two small onions and 4 garlic), sweated in olive oil ...
> 
> ...



I use butter for the pasta


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## esoo (Feb 12, 2019)

Late to this party, but I use this as a base recipe: https://www.geniuskitchen.com/recipe/jo-mamas-world-famous-spaghetti-22782

some notes:
- use a good Italian sausage, or find a good recipe for making sausage and season ground pork the same way
- use Italian canned diced tomatoes, or I've found fire roasted in cans works great
- use Italian tomato paste
- use pasata (preferably Italian) for both the tomato sauce and the water.
- I've tended to use a nice _Valpolicella_ Ripasso for the wine.
- I've sometimes added a tablespoon or so of balsamic vinegar.

I've been meaning to try a no-meat version of this. Only trick is to get the flavours that come from the sausage into the rest of the sauce.


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## jacko9 (Feb 12, 2019)

playero said:


> Which basil and which oregano?



I grow oregano and Italian basil in my garden. I'm not quite sure what kind of oregano since I planted it many years ago and just keep pruning it back a few times a year (it grows in a raised bed planter). The basil I plant every spring from seed and it lasts in our climate until December.


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## Mucho Bocho (Feb 13, 2019)

You could through anything in there for flavor, but I guess I;m a purist about some things. I'd rather have sausage on the side than everything tasting like sausage.

Fresh tomatoes (blanched, peeled and seeds removed), twice as many fresh by weight than canned)
Quality whole canned tomatoes

Olive oil
garlic
red peper flake
white wine (semi-dry vermouth)
basil (blanched, pureed into a sauce)
salt

The cooking technique is what makes this sauce so magical.

Fry in copious olive oil, the fresh tomatoes until you get a brown paste. Takes a long time, try to get it dry but not burned. You're developing those mailard flavors at this point. Then in another pot sweat some garlic, add pepper flake then add canned tomatoes.
When the fried tomato paste is ready, add it to the pot of tomatoes.
Deglase fry pan with white wine, then add to pot of tomatoes.
Simmer slowly for an hour or until the whole tomatoes soften.
When cool, add a few table spoons of basil sauce to tomatoes.

I've seen several chefs make sauce this way and it's one recipe I'd never change. Everyone that has my sauce is more than impressed. My daughter eats it alone out of the jar.

What I like about this marinara is then you can add other components to it to spice it up after making.

If you're looking for the ultimate rich, zesty, bright, tangy tomato flavor in a. sauce, check out this recipe.


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## dsk (Feb 23, 2019)

Theres such a huge variety. Marcella Hazans simple sauce is a great start. I probably looked up at least 20 + versions of marinara before simplifying it for my taste-laziness and availability of fresh produce.

In a pan:
-olive oil, a bunch
-garlic, sliced thin and toasted golden on lowish heat
-onions and shallots are optional, some recipes say marinara shouldn't have either, others say they must, I do it depending on my mood, usually none.
-tomato paste, yes sometimes, usually no. Goes in once garlic and/or onions are done.
-deglaze with wine if needed

In a pot:
-1 can tomatoes, people say San Marzano or bust but I like basic cento cans, some common supermarket brands can work but you need to taste for yourself. Pour into pot and set heat to a hard simmer. Add a little water to the can and swirl to pour out tomato juices clinging to side. Crush them as they reduce and soften up.
-oregano, red pepper flakes, salt, pepper. Sugar is a debatable addition. Onion and shallots add sweetness, so in that case no. If I'm going onionless, I might add a tiny pinch if the tomatoes feel harshly acidic, but salt usually compensates that well enough.
-a few tablespoons butter, sometimes I do this if the meat is sparse, or I'm feeling like the fatty I am. 

Contents of pan go into the tomato pot and simmer till desired thickness.

-dried pasta in a ridiculously excessive amount of boiling water, salted excessively.

-fresh basil. Very key. Dried basil is borderline useless, as the aroma is what you want. This goes in near the end when you toss the almost al dente pasta in to finish cooking. And then more fresh basil once you cheese the plate.


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## Michi (Feb 23, 2019)

What makes spaghetti sauce taste really nice is reheating and cooling down several times, preferably over three or four days. Simmer the sauce for about 5-6 hours initially, then let it cool down and stick it into the fridge overnight. Then do it again the next day, slow simmer at really low heat. Into the fridge again. Again the next day and, possibly, even for a fourth day.

You end up with something that has beautiful flavour integration, with almost all the acidity gone, very fine silky texture, and outstanding aroma. An hour or so before serving, season with salt, if needed, a bit of red wine, and possibly a touch of white pepper and a bit of finely chopped basil.

Michi.


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## orangehero (Feb 23, 2019)

Why? So freshness is bad for tomato sauce? So why not just buy store-bought sauce it's been processed many times over and over?

What's the best way to handles fresh tomatoes? Just cook them over and over again?

I think it's bizarre but I've never tasted such a sauce not sure where to find it.


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## Michi (Feb 23, 2019)

No, freshness isn't bad. But it tastes a lot better after having had time for all the flavours to blend.

It's a bit like German Sauerkraut. That tastes best, too, if reheated a number of times. Loses almost all the acidity, gets a softer texture, and gets a lot sweeter and flavourful.

Try it some time, you might be surprised.


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## orangehero (Feb 23, 2019)

I've never even considered sauer kraut cooked multitple time but i think the best part of it is the firm texture and acidity so maybe i should not...sounds like nasty mushy sweet cabbage


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## Michi (Feb 23, 2019)

I grew up in Bavaria, so I have a fair bit of exposure to Sauerkraut  What style you want to use depends a lot on the dish you serve it with. For something like Eisbein, which is quite heavy and contains a lot of fat, freshly-cooked Sauerkraut is best because the acidity offsets the fattiness of the meat. For other things, such as Blut und Leberwurst mit Kartoffelbrei und Sauerkraut (blood and liver sausage with potato mash and sauerkraut), the longer-cooked version is more appropriate because the acidity of the fresh version tends to overwhelm the flavours of the sausage.

A lot of people add diced and fried smoked speck to sauerkraut, small amounts of finely diced apple, and caraway seed and/or juniper berries. The fattiness of the speck and the sweetness of the apple are used to create a more integrated experience other than just "bloody sour", and the caraway/juniper add more complex notes to the otherwise quite boring aroma. A pinch of yellow mustard seed or a bayleaf or two can be used to good effect, too.

It all depends on where you come from and what you like. But, trust me, sauerkraut reheated over a number of days can be _really_ nice.

It's a bit like dry-aged beef. A lot of people wouldn't touch it with a ten-foot pole because, after all, why would someone eat a piece of meat that has been quietly rotting away in a fridge for three months? Until they try it for the first time and, thereafter, that's pretty much the only steak they would ever eat, if only they could afford it…


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## WildBoar (Feb 23, 2019)

Orangehero, There are two basic ways to make tomato sauce: 1) quick and 'fresh'; 2) long simmers over a couple of days, preferably with some meat in the sauce for added flavor.

2) is the typical 'sunday sauce' common in Italian-American households. That is what I grew up with, and what both grandmothers made. I still cook up large batches this was a few times/ year. And during the summer when we have loads of tomatoes from the garden, we are much more likely to do a dice and make a quick 'fresh' sauce.


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## HRC_64 (Feb 23, 2019)

Fresh tomato sauce is called 'Salsa'... 

Properly 'fresh' (ie, raw tomatoes) are full of water and need to be salted at a minimum. However, even raw salsa's benefit from some time for the flavours to consolidate (chile peppers and the aromatics, etc). So everything is on a continuum...


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## DamageInc (Feb 23, 2019)

I like this if short for time:


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## Michi (Feb 23, 2019)

DamageInc said:


> I like this if short for time


Nice recipe, quick and easy, thanks!


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## JustinP (Feb 26, 2019)

I cook many tomato sauces depending on the dish, but my favorite basic sauce of all time is still Marcella Hazan's. 

1 28oz can San Marzano tomatoes 
5 tablespoons butter
1 medium onion, peeled and cut in half

That's it, besides a little salt if needed. Put the butter and sliced onion in the pot, pour in the tomatoes. Bring to a simmer and cook for 45 minutes or so, uncovered. Break up the tomatoes when you stir from time to time with the spoon. Also works great with fresh tomatoes.


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## Uncle Mike (Feb 26, 2019)

brianh said:


> The way I do it anyway... couple cups finely diced carrots sautéed for maybe 15 minutes, then add cup finely diced celery, go another 10 min or so, and 1-2c diced onions and go until soft. Add lots of smashed garlic. Couple large cans hand-crushed Muir Glen organic peeled tomatoes, or mix it up with one regular can and one fire roasted. Handful fresh basil, dried Italian herbs. Simmer few hours then hit with a stick blender. Cooking the carrots so long adds a nice sweetness so I usually don’t need to add sugar. Add salt and pepper.


This interested me with the amount of carrots and cooking them so long, so I tried it.

Veg cut up






Veg cooked in sauté pan (I don’t like to sauté in Le Creuset, it is passed down from mother-in-law and I don’t want to stain it)






Sauce when first all combined






After cooking and blending






Came out very good, very tomato tasting, not carroty at all. I used these tomatoes






Thank you @brianh for the recipe!


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## parbaked (Feb 26, 2019)

I use the Cento whole tomatoes...good choice.
I like this recipe except for the stick blender...my Nana didn't have one.
Blending can add a little air to sauce and change the texture.
Best to put the tomatoes through a food mill before cooking...or just crush them with a potato masher.


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## Interapid101 (Feb 26, 2019)

Great suggestions here. Hazan’s recipe is indeed amazing, and the one we use most often at home. So easy and versatile, easy to add other ingredients. (Anchovies or anchovy paste is always nice.)

One thing I _always_ add: berbere. A tablespoon per 28 oz of San marzanos works great. If you know anyone from Ethiopia, they’ll probably tell you they make the best spaghetti. Berbere is the secret ingredient. You’ll never be able to detect it (unless you use heaps of it) but it makes the sauce so much more savory somehow. And just a little spicy. Try it! I’ll be shocked if you don’t love it.


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## WildBoar (Feb 26, 2019)

Uncle Mike said:


> This interested me with the amount of carrots and cooking them so long, so I tried it.
> 
> Veg cut up
> 
> ...


Perfect -- I made an almost-identical sauce last week (I included a little wine and some pepper flakes). As far as blending, etc. goes, I let it cook for a while while mashing the whole tomatoes with a wooden spoon. After I bit I broke out the potato masher. But near the end I made a quick pass with a stick blender -- mainly to break down the carrots and onions, but also some of the bigger tomato bits. If you keep cooking it a while after using the stick blender any issues with texture due to increased air are not an issue (in my experience).


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## parbaked (Feb 26, 2019)

WildBoar said:


> If you keep cooking it a while after using the stick blender any issues with texture due to increased air are not an issue (in my experience).



Yes...if you cook it long enough, after stick blending, the air you added gets cooked out but I still think it's better to pick any number of ways to smash the whole tomatoes without adding air...but that's just out of respect for my Italian Nana...


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## Uncle Mike (Feb 26, 2019)

All great suggestions. Looking forward to trying the berbere. For me blending is where it’s at










I’ve catered weddings and events for 100’s of people, but now it’s all about what the grandson likes. And he likes it smooth, not chunky, so I blend.


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## WildBoar (Feb 26, 2019)

parbaked said:


> Yes...if you cook it long enough, after stick blending, the air you added gets cooked out but I still think it's better to pick any number of ways to smash the whole tomatoes without adding air...but that's just out of respect for my Italian Nana...


Mine would puree the tomatoes in a blender first, but in her defense she came to the US when she was 4 years old. My mom pureed them as well. On my dad's side of the family, they canned dozens of bushels of tomatoes at the end of each summer, and they were all pureed; but once again, they all came over as kids.


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## WildBoar (Feb 26, 2019)

Trader Giotto's for the win!


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## brianh (Feb 26, 2019)

Uncle Mike said:


> This interested me with the amount of carrots and cooking them so long, so I tried it.
> 
> Veg cut up
> 
> ...



Looks awesome, I’m glad you liked it!


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## Mucho Bocho (Feb 26, 2019)

Tomato sauce doesn’t require a power too nor is it intended to be consumed through a straw says Grandma Vantangoli.


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## WildBoar (Feb 26, 2019)

Mucho Bocho said:


> Tomato sauce doesn’t require a power too nor is it intended to be consumed through a straw says Grandma Vantangoli.


Yhe beauty is we can make it better than grandma could. Tomato sauce was not constant from the beginning up until the times our grandparents made it -- it evolved to get to that point. And there is no reason for it to stay frozen now in a snapshot from 40 year ago. 

Heck, the reason they did not use small appliances in my dad's family is because they had no small appliances. When we visited the small town my paternal grandfather was from in '92, the one remaining cousin of my grandfather, who was in his late 70s, had just bought his older sister her first indoor stove. They made do with what they had, just like we make do today with what we have. In 2-3 generations people will think we were primitive with our current cooking appliances.


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## brianh (Feb 26, 2019)

Here in NJ, land of the Sopranos, the best two local Italian joints are run by Albanians and a guy named Juan. Tradition isn’t always flavor.


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## Mucho Bocho (Feb 27, 2019)

Sure one can add anything to a tomato sauce, including using electric appliances, even heating up some tomatoes then add jared sauces to it. I'm not convinced that using using a power tool is going to improve the sauce. I don't think cooking the sauce over a wood fired stove vs a induction burner makes it less quality.

There are more ways than one to skin a cat and technical catsup made in Italy is also an Italian tomato sauce, but it aint what most would call an Italian tomato sauce as the original posted is inquiring about.


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## HRC_64 (Feb 27, 2019)

Italians commonly use passata,which eliminates alot of these issues, no?


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## WildBoar (Feb 27, 2019)

Mucho Bocho said:


> Sure one can add anything to a tomato sauce, including using electric appliances, even heating up some tomatoes then add jared sauces to it. I'm not convinced that using using a power tool is going to improve the sauce. I don't think cooking the sauce over a wood fired stove vs a induction burner makes it less quality.
> 
> There are more ways than one to skin a cat and technical catsup made in Italy is also an Italian tomato sauce, but it aint what most would call an Italian tomato sauce as the original posted is inquiring about.


Neither of my grandmothers put in carrot/ onion/ celery. That is something I typically add though, and buzzing with a stick blender helps break them down so the sauce is not too chunky. I would challenge you to try it in person and say it is not a 'real tomato sauce' like the OP asked about.



HRC_64 said:


> Italians commonly use passata,which eliminates alot of these issues, no?


That isn't something my family every did. But it is something I have done a couple of times when I wasn't going to be putting sausages into the sauce.

What it comes down to is there are infinite minor differences between ingredients and techniques for tomato sauce, whether it is made by a 'real' Italian in Italy, a descendant here in the US, or someone from some other part of the world who learned from a chef they used to cook with.

My two grandmothers made sauces that were distinctive from each other. Red sauces I had while on trips to Italy varied a lot as well.


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## Mucho Bocho (Feb 27, 2019)

WildBoar said:


> Neither of my grandmothers put in carrot/ onion/ celery. That is something I typically add though, and buzzing with a stick blender helps break them down so the sauce is not too chunky. I would challenge you to try it in person and say it is not a 'real tomato sauce' like the OP asked about.
> 
> Dave, I know you're a good cook, not as good as I am but still decent ;-). Also I like my sauce chunky.


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## WildBoar (Feb 27, 2019)

Mucho Bocho said:


> Also I like my sauce chunky.


Well, that explains it!


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## Keith Sinclair (Feb 27, 2019)

What a great thread. I get an over abundance of cherry tomatoes when they ripen. Could not eat enough in salads so made sauce from them. They are really sweet. fresh basil, onions, garlic, celery. Used to like ground pork in pasta sauce, these days either go vegetarian or Aidells smoked chicken sausage brown it in skillet then add to sauce. Wine, salt, fresh ground pepper. Like a little lemon juice to add a bit of citrus to tomato sauce. A pinch of organic cane sugar. 

Also use home grown cherry tomatoes in curry sauce.

Going to try some ideas on this thread. Don't think you can lose chopping up a couple anchovies. See if can find Cento whole tomatoes here.

Been using whole grain pasta and Linguine. Don't knock it before you try it. It is good & healthy.


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## nonoyes (Mar 1, 2019)

Another fan of Hazan's recipe which sticks so nicely to starchy noodles. (I put some of the sauce in a saute pan and transfer al-dente noodles straight in to finish cooking).

For a fresher taste there is a recipe in Ducasse's "Cooking School" for meatballs with couscous. The meatballs cook in a simple sauce composed of fresh tomatoes (blanched, peeled, seeded), a little stock, and a little paprika. I think that's it. The sauce you end up with is fresh-tasting but still mild due to the stock and the fact that is cooked mostly covered. That sauce is excellent. It loses just enough moisture to be thick but remains bright, fresh, and tomato-ey.

(The meatballs are packed with fresh herbs that might contribute something but the sauce itself doesn't taste of herbs.)


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## panda (Mar 1, 2019)

I used to really like store bought Rao's homemade tomato sauce. Word got out that this product is fantastic and to keep up with demand they ruined the recipe. It costs more and doesn't taste as good as it used to.


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## WildBoar (Mar 1, 2019)

Rao's has definitely become hit-or-miss. Some sauces are really good, and some not so much. Used to always keep a jar or two of their vodka sauce on hand, but haven't had it now for a few years. I hope it is still one of the good ones.

On a related note, we started buying fresh pasta and sauces at Superior Pasta in Philly during visits a few years ago. Their sauce have been pretty good. We order a handful of fresh pastas and sauces once or twice a year, and have yet to be disappointed.


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## Keith Sinclair (Apr 1, 2019)

Thanks to this thread got some Cento peeled tomatoes, crushed, & tomato paste. It really is a better product. Not a bunch of added stuff. Just good tomatoes.

Made a sauce much better than the bottled sauces. Almost as good as tomatoes fresh from the garden.


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## mille162 (Apr 3, 2019)

panda said:


> I used to really like store bought Rao's homemade tomato sauce. Word got out that this product is fantastic and to keep up with demand they ruined the recipe. It costs more and doesn't taste as good as it used to.



Panda, I can confirm. Always had a jar of Rao’s marinara for nights we needed a quick prep meal. It used to be only specialty supermarkets carried it, now I can buy at Costco. Had a jar this past monday night tossed with La Fabricco Della pasta. It had an overly strong garlic profile where you can taste an garlic/onion powder, not much tomato taste other than being slightly acidic. Ingredient list has dried oregano, doesn’t specify “type” of onion of garlic used, but the taste is def not the same as it was a year+ ago. Time to go back to making large batches of marinara and canning for later use...


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## Uncle Mike (Apr 9, 2019)

Sorry to hear about the Rao’s. We got some on sale a year or so ago and really liked it.


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## Oshidashi (Oct 11, 2020)

parbaked said:


> I use the Cento whole tomatoes...good choice.
> I like this recipe except for the stick blender...my Nana didn't have one.
> Blending can add a little air to sauce and change the texture.
> Best to put the tomatoes through a food mill before cooking...or just crush them with a potato masher.



I, too, am partial to Cento whole San Marzano tomatoes. I find them delicious and sweet enough to eat out of the can (when nobody's looking). I can't seem to buy better fresh tomatoes. I am also very happy with the most simple and fresh tomato gravy: just sweat minced garlic in decent olive oil and add the canned whole tomatoes after crushing by hand (squeezing in your fist works best). Add salt and pepper, red pepper flakes, and later fresh basil or parsley. I may cook only until heated through, to get the freshest flavor.

When I want something more complex, I will start as above, but I will cook longer, add oregano and anchovies, sometimes thyme, a hand-full of parsley, and black olives. Maybe also capers or roasted peppers, maybe mushrooms, and then a glazy balsamic vinegar reduction. But I only add onions, and wine or a stock reduction if meat (sausage, ham, chicken, or brasciole) is going in the pot. It's always nice to slide in a luscious rind of Parma cheese, if you like. Cook til the sauce darkens a notch and taste for salt and pepper . Finish with your best olive oil and decorate with parsley or basil leaves. Never add sugar. (Wow, I'm making myself hungry.)

Another thing: there is no reason to cook pasta in a large quantity of water, as long as you stir it periodically to avoid sticking. A smaller amount of water will contain more starch, and becomes a valuable solution that you can add from the pot with a ladle to thicken the sauce, or make it creamier. It will even enhance adherence of sauce to the pasta. Adding pasta water is essential, in fact, for dishes such as cacio e pepe and spaghetti carbonara. By the way, the water you boil the pasta in must contain at least 1 or 2% salt, salty enough to taste good. That way the pasta emerges well seasoned after boiling.


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## Keith Sinclair (Oct 11, 2020)

Been growing larger tomato's have to keep them covered so we have a chance against the birds. Here cheapest place for Cento tomatoes is Walmart. Liked this thread from over a year ago my pasta sauces got better. Also growing both sweet & Thai basil nothing beats fresh herbs.


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## lemeneid (Oct 11, 2020)

Really depends, but it all starts with good San Marzanos.
If I were making a ragu, I'll add a sofrito, if its pizza, then just strain the tomatoes, add basil and salt.
But always good tomatoes.


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## 4wa1l (Oct 12, 2020)

Anyone here like puttanesca sauce? A go to for me when I want something fast. Pretty basic tomato sauce with garlic, chilli, anchovies, olives, capers and maybe some dried oregano. Some pangrattato makes it even better.


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## Michi (Oct 12, 2020)

I'm a sucker for puttanesca sauce. Unfortunately, I only get it to eat it alone because most people don't like anchovies, olives, or capers


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## lechef (Oct 12, 2020)

Buy the best tomatoes you can afford..


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## MarcelNL (Oct 12, 2020)

San Marzano, and of good quality! OR Cherry tomatoes ( I like Mutti, for one because of flavor and the fact they only use machines to harvest and not cheap labor, slavery style). I try stay away from pre-chopped stuff as many firms tend to use 'rescued' cut offs for those tins, fresh tomatoes are not always great over here ....lacking the Southern sun in my region.
I often hide a few Anchovy fillets in Tomatoe sauce, don't tell.


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## idemhj (Oct 12, 2020)

Michi said:


> I'm a sucker for puttanesca sauce. Unfortunately, I only get it to eat it alone because most people don't like anchovies, olives, or capers


For real? Your fellow aussies must have some kind of serious tasting disorder


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## chappychap (Oct 12, 2020)

idemhj said:


> For real? Your fellow aussies must have some kind of serious tasting disorder



Agree with puttanesca, it's a weeknight staple here. Donal Skehan has a good recipe.

Also try Marcela Hazan's tomato + butter + onion. Super simple. Take it to the next level with the best fresh tomatoes you can find and a food mill or fine mesh strainer to remove skin and seeds.

Happy to share links, just new here and not sure on etiquette.


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## Lars (Oct 12, 2020)

I was planning to make ragu bolognese this weeks pasta dish, but now I suddenly have a craving for puttanesca..


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## lemeneid (Oct 14, 2020)

Michi said:


> I'm a sucker for puttanesca sauce. Unfortunately, I only get it to eat it alone because most people don't like anchovies, olives, or capers


It’s extremely pungent. I feel it stinks up the entire house far worse than an extremely smoky steak meal. Delicious but it takes days for the smell to come out of the house.


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## Nagakin (Oct 14, 2020)

Oshidashi said:


> I, too, am partial to Cento whole San Marzano tomatoes. I find them delicious and sweet enough to eat out of the can (when nobody's looking). I can't seem to buy better fresh tomatoes. I am also very happy with the most simple and fresh tomato gravy: just sweat minced garlic in decent olive oil and add the canned whole tomatoes after crushing by hand (squeezing in your fist works best). Add salt and pepper, red pepper flakes, and later fresh basil or parsley. I may cook only until heated through, to get the freshest flavor.
> 
> When I want something more complex, I will start as above, but I will cook longer, add oregano and anchovies, sometimes thyme, a hand-full of parsley, and black olives. Maybe also capers or roasted peppers, maybe mushrooms, and then a glazy balsamic vinegar reduction. But I only add onions, and wine or a stock reduction if meat (sausage, ham, chicken, or brasciole) is going in the pot. It's always nice to slide in a luscious rind of Parma cheese, if you like. Cook til the sauce darkens a notch and taste for salt and pepper . Finish with your best olive oil and decorate with parsley or basil leaves. Never add sugar. (Wow, I'm making myself hungry.)
> 
> Another thing: there is no reason to cook pasta in a large quantity of water, as long as you stir it periodically to avoid sticking. A smaller amount of water will contain more starch, and becomes a valuable solution that you can add from the pot with a ladle to thicken the sauce, or make it creamier. It will even enhance adherence of sauce to the pasta. Adding pasta water is essential, in fact, for dishes such as cacio e pepe and spaghetti carbonara. By the way, the water you boil the pasta in must contain at least 1 or 2% salt, salty enough to taste good. That way the pasta emerges well seasoned after boiling.


Didn't see it mentioned before this, but what he said about oil is important. Start with a good oil, not a great one, since you'll be cooking the nuance out of it anyways. Save the primo for finishing.


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## spaceconvoy (Oct 14, 2020)

chappychap said:


> Also try Marcela Hazan's tomato + butter + onion. Super simple. Take it to the next level with the best fresh tomatoes you can find and a food mill or fine mesh strainer to remove skin and seeds.


I just looked this up. Sounds good, and reminds me of my grandmother's sauce. She was an old-school depression era Italian-American. I went to college near her, and learned a lot about cooking when I would visit for dinner every few weeks.

Big mushy chunks of tomato are gross, and a velvety smooth sauce that sticks to pasta is the ideal, so to me, a food mill is essential. Most food mills have flat machined holes that work fine for potatoes, but are useless on tomatoes. You want one with raised perforations that will act like a grater. I still have her Foley 101 food mill from the 70s, and the new Mirro branded version looks decent.

San Marzanos packed in their own juice are the best. You get less yield and it takes longer to reduce, but it'll be better quality than using tomatoes packed in purée. The food mill creates the perfect toothy texture by making tiny millimeter-sized chunks of tomato. Tomato purée is too uniformly blended, and will give the sauce a slightly ketchupy consistency.

With a simple sauce like this, you notice these nuanced details. Another thing she insisted on was adding half of the salt at the beginning, and half at the end. There's a 'warm saltiness' you get from letting it meld with the sauce through cooking, and a 'sharp saltiness' when added fresh at the end. It also lets you more precisely control the salt level after the sauce reduces.

She used garlic instead of onion, but with the same principle as Marcela. Cut the cloves in half and lay them face down in olive oil, then start the heat, and add the milled tomatoes as soon as the garlic gets a hint of color. Remove the garlic after about a half hour, before it falls apart into stringy chunks.

Nagakin is right about the oil, but not because you can't taste the difference. You can, and the grassy flavor of extra virgin isn't right for tomato sauce. I like the big tin can of Filippo Berio regular olive oil.

Only experience will help you get the right amount of oil. You want to use as much as possible without the sauce breaking and oil pooling on the surface - at least at the end. If it pools a bit around the edges at the beginning you know you've hit the sweet spot, and it should emulsify into the sauce by the end. Ideally you'll be left with tiny specks of oil glistening on the surface.

Finish by adding a bunch of fresh basil right after turning off the heat, and removing it just after it wilts. Like with the garlic, only your heart can know the correct amount. Some garlic and basil are just stronger than others, and then there's personal preference. As you can probably tell, my family will argue about these details for literally hours.


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## chappychap (Oct 14, 2020)

spaceconvoy said:


> I just looked this up. Sounds good, and reminds me of my grandmother's sauce. She was an old-school depression era Italian-American. I went to college near her, and learned a lot about cooking when I would visit for dinner every few weeks....



Great write up, you inspired me to get the Kuchenprofi food mill out next time, and try the sauce with garlic instead of onion!
What's your go-to San Marzano brand?


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## Oshidashi (Oct 14, 2020)

Wondering if any of you bother removing the little longitudinal, sometimes greenish, germ from the center of garlic cloves. You have to slice the clove longitudinally with some precision to access it. Some French chefs believe it is bitter and should be removed. I occasionally remove it if it is green, but my guess is that's probably a waste of time.


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## spaceconvoy (Oct 14, 2020)

chappychap said:


> Great write up, you inspired me to get the Kuchenprofi food mill out next time, and try the sauce with garlic instead of onion!
> What's your go-to San Marzano brand?


Brands are a lie. At best, they're an assurance that lasts for one year's crop. The brand I used to like started adding tomato purée this year - 'this year' meaning the 2019 crop. Finding last year's crop is standard, but avoid any from two years past. You might not have a choice early in the year, especially if you're in a smaller town like me - I take what I can get here in podunk Florida.

If you find a brand that you like, you can start paying attention to the sequential serial numbers to gauge freshness. Because I'm slightly crazy, I remember the first two digits I most recently purchased, and avoid cans that are too far off. It's not a big deal since you're making them into sauce, but I prefer not opening cans to find a mushy mess. The serial numbers are mandated by the growers' consortium, and their absence is theoretically a way to spot fake San Marzanos, though I've never seen one in real life.

Citric acid is good, because it means the tomatoes are sweet enough to need extra acid for preservation. Calcium chloride is terrible and adds a slightly soapy taste, though I've never seen it added to San Marzanos. I make sure to avoid it if I ever buy regular tomatoes for some reason. No added basil is preferred, but hard to find in my area. Oh yeah, and remove any basil before running the tomatoes through the food mill.



Oshidashi said:


> Wondering if any of you bother removing the little longitudinal, sometimes greenish, germ from the center of garlic cloves. You have to slice the clove longitudinally with some precision to access it. Some French chefs believe it is bitter and should be removed. I occasionally remove it if it is green, but my guess is that's probably a waste of time.


Thanks for reminding me of another point I forgot - definitely remove the garlic germ. If green they'll add bitterness, but even if they're not green, they'll separate from the clove and be difficult to remove from the sauce. I take this as a given. You're probably right about it being barely noticeable and a waste of time, but food is my family's religion.


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## 4wa1l (Oct 14, 2020)

I was actually taught to do this with garlic when I was growing up, but over the years I've become lazy and don't bother anymore. I haven't noticed much difference. In saying that, I don't think puttanesca is particularly pungent or strong flavoured, so I'm probably not the best judge of the subtle differences that it would make.


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## larrybard (Oct 14, 2020)

It appears as if I'm the only one who adds some cocoa to tomato sauce.


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## WildBoar (Oct 14, 2020)

larrybard said:


> It appears as if I'm the only one who adds some cocoa to tomato sauce.


why yes.

yes you are.


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## panda (Oct 15, 2020)

lemeneid said:


> It’s extremely pungent. I feel it stinks up the entire house far worse than an extremely smoky steak meal. Delicious but it takes days for the smell to come out of the house.


just described some peoples wives farts


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## Chips (Oct 15, 2020)

SpaceConvoy's insight strikes me as extremely valuable and digging deeper on quality. Thanks!

I've been a big fan of Bianco DiNapoli canned tomatoes from right here in California for quite some time. I have a full pantry of their whole, peeled tomatoes as well as their crushed tomatoes on hand. When I want to test one version compared to another, namely the highly regarded San Marzanos of proper DOP, I simply find a recipe or two that I can work with at a given time and open one of each, tasting just the straight tomato and coming up with my own impressions. 

I plan on making a sauce following Marcella's instructions for the most part, but using the whole, peeled tomatoes from Bianco, with the seeds and gelatin centers removed before processing. I sorta went down this rabbit hole in the past for red sauce for pizza Neapolitan as well.


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## Oshidashi (Oct 16, 2020)

Somehow, I recalled having seen this review of various canned tomato brands in the NYT earlier this year, and just located a link:

The Best Canned Tomatoes

(PS: I was surprised at some of the results, and I suspect my own taste testing would have reached very different conclusions.)


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## chappychap (Oct 16, 2020)

Surprised at some of the results too, but really interesting they tested with the Marcella recipe. Thanks for sharing.


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## TSF415 (Oct 17, 2020)

Alta Cucina is good stuff. I prefer to buy a locally canned tomato than imported.


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## Colin (Oct 17, 2020)

The late great Marchella Hazan has a recipe for tomato sauce that is famous for a reason.








Marcella Hazan’s Tomato Sauce Recipe


This is perhaps the most famous recipe created by Marcella Hazan, the cookbook author who changed how Americans cook Italian food It also may be her easiest Use your favorite canned tomatoes for this and don’t be scared off by the butter




cooking.nytimes.com


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