posted
Here is how I do it. 3 Fresh tomatoes (you can used canned but fresh is better) Tomato paste 1 more more onions depending on taste garlic green peppers fresh mushrooms Ground beef and or sweet or hot sausages pasta of course eggs bread crumbs
First, cut up the onions, saute them in olive oil in a large pot. Add the green peppers, garlic and later the mushrooms. As for the ground beef breakl one or two eggs into it, add bread crumbs. It gives the meat a nice texture and flavour. Add to the onions, green peppers, garlic and mushrooms. Brown. Dip tomatoes in boiling water to peel. Add to the meat mixture. Also add tomato paste.
Simmer for an hour or so. Make the pasta according to the directions on the package and eat. You can also add cheese to the sauce too, which tastes really nice.
posted
Brown sugar? I've never put that in my spaghetti sauce. But then again, I've never used shoes, old or otherwise.
I sautée chopped onions and peppers in olive oil to start. If I'm making meat sauce, I'll brown some chopped meat, if I'm making a vegetable sauce, I'll add some other vegetables -- diced eggplant, maybe, or shredded carrots and zucchini. Sliced fresh mushrooms are good. If the meat is fatty, pour out the grease, unless you like eating greasy sauce (I don't). Once that is all cooked up nice, I add a can of crushed tomatoes (or I crush up a can of whole tomatoes), heat it all up and season with thyme, basil, hot pepper, and oregano. If you started the water boiling for your spaghetti when you were starting your sauce, by the time the spaghetti is done, your sauce will be ready to pour over it.
Posts: 10397 | Registered: Jun 2005
| IP: Logged |
posted
Well I'm not Italian but here's how I make mine:
1 lb. mild Italian sausage 1 large can whole tomatoes 2 small cans tomato paste 1 small onion, diced 1 small green pepper, diced 1 large clove garlic, minced 1 tsp. dried basil leaves 1 tsp. dried oregano salt & pepper to taste 2 tbsp. olive oil
saute onions, pepper and garlic in olive oil till soft add sausage and brown (italian sausage commonly comes in links but I prefer it loose/ground if I can get it) stir in tomato paste add can of tomatoes w/ juice(either run through the blender first or break up the tomatoes with a spoon as they cook) bring sauce to a boil, then simmer on low 30-45 minutes to allow flavors to blend.
If you can't get Italian sausage, you can substitute ground pork and/or beef; add 1 tsp. fennel seeds (Italian sausage is flavored w/ fennel).
My recipe does not call for an old shoe ;-) Some people also add diced celery and even carrot to the sauteed veggies. Mushrooms are always a good addition. Exact amounts really don't matter that much.
Posts: 3149 | Registered: Jul 2005
| IP: Logged |
posted
Brown sugar in spaghetti sauce could be one of those combinations that you wouldn't think would be good, but is. Like chocolate in chili, or something like that. I'm an Italian citizen, but sorry Blayne, I don't cook a lot.
posted
I put brown sugar in my spaghetti sauce and it's really good.
2 lbs of mild italian sausage medium onion green pepper tomato paste 4 cans of 14oz italian tomatoes 2 teaspoons brown sugar a bay leaf 2 cups of water italian seasoning
Chop onion and pepper. Brown the sausage, onions and peppers until the veggies are tender. Drain away the fat. Blend tomatoes, tomato paste, brown sugar, bay leaf and water in, bring to a boil and simmer until you can't stand to wait any longer. I usually only make it about 45 minutes, but I'm told it is better if you let it go for an hour or more. For the italian seasoning, the original recipe called for teaspoons of thyme, basil and oregano but I didn't have all those in my cupboard but I did have italian pizza seasoning, which I just sprinkled liberally.
My mother puts raisins in her spagetti sauce but I think that's disgusting. My dad loves it though.
Posts: 5948 | Registered: Jun 2001
| IP: Logged |
quote:Originally posted by Tinros: Brown sugar in spaghetti sauce could be one of those combinations that you wouldn't think would be good, but is. Like chocolate in chili, or something like that. I'm an Italian citizen, but sorry Blayne, I don't cook a lot.
quote:Originally posted by Tinros: Brown sugar in spaghetti sauce could be one of those combinations that you wouldn't think would be good, but is. Like chocolate in chili, or something like that. I'm an Italian citizen, but sorry Blayne, I don't cook a lot.
My only recipe for pasta sauce goes like this:
Ingredients: 1 can of Prego.
Instructions: Follow instructions on can.
Eeewwww. Just ew.
Ew to the brown sugar, or ew to the Prego? It's not half bad for a college student on a budget, without refrigerator space.
Posts: 1591 | Registered: Jul 2005
| IP: Logged |
quote:Originally posted by Tinros: Brown sugar in spaghetti sauce could be one of those combinations that you wouldn't think would be good, but is. Like chocolate in chili, or something like that. I'm an Italian citizen, but sorry Blayne, I don't cook a lot.
My only recipe for pasta sauce goes like this:
Ingredients: 1 can of Prego.
Instructions: Follow instructions on can.
Eeewwww. Just ew.
Ew to the brown sugar, or ew to the Prego? It's not half bad for a college student on a budget, without refrigerator space.
I thought that the chocolate in chili was pretty deserving of an eewwww, but I can't really say that I've ever had it.
Posts: 2437 | Registered: Apr 2005
| IP: Logged |
posted
I've opened a jar of store-bought sauce, and either doctored it up with fresh things, or used it as is. It's really not all that disgusting.
Now, topping spaghetti with ketchup, that I can't condone or stomach. And, yeah, I know people who really do this. Sometimes they top it with American cheese. I've also known people to make "Fettuccine Alfredo" by topping spaghetti with mayonnaise. That is wrong on many many levels.
The jar of Prego is nowhere near eww-worthy once we expand the field of possibilities to include those travesties.
And chocolate in chili is good. I use either cocoa powder or unsweetened chocolate. Topping a bowl of chili with Hershey's Kisses, though, is something I wouldn't do.
Posts: 10397 | Registered: Jun 2005
| IP: Logged |
posted
I like eating fungi, and bacteria (mmm, yogurt).
Prego is pretty good. Beats Ragu any day. It's a little sweet, but I like how thick it is. (really sticks to the noodles.)
I've found the cheap Hunt's spaghetti sauce in the can really isn't that bad either. I'd probably recommend using canned sauce to someone who doesn't keep a fully stocked kitchen, or doesn't want to spend much time. Buying all the ingredients to make homemade sauce is going to cost a lot if you don't already have the herbs on hand.
Chocolate in chili, sure. Coffee and beer can also make good additions to chili. I wouldn't want much *sugar* in chili (although that's not absolute - I can imagine some hybrid of baked beans and chili turning out pretty decent, even if it's waaay down on my list of culinary experiments I'd like to try someday).
Posts: 4287 | Registered: Mar 2005
| IP: Logged |
quote:Originally posted by Nick: What is it with you people and mushrooms, do you enjoy eating fungus?
Yes. Very much.
Anyway, Nick, you've heard the expression, "You are what you eat?" Clearly, then, you are not a fun guy.
Posts: 10397 | Registered: Jun 2005
| IP: Logged |
posted
I like Bertoli sauce. The tomatoes and basil. If I am feeling slothful I just buy that and add stuff to it.
Posts: 9942 | Registered: Mar 2003
| IP: Logged |
posted
I'm another one for opening up a container of packaged and tossing in some spices. Personally I prefer Ragu traditional, but sometimes I'll get Neuman's Sockarooni.
We don't eat spaghetti often, though, because my *ahem*darling*ahem* in-laws have scarred the kids. He would make a huge Dutch oven of very thin sauce with little seasoning and pork neckbones, and that would be dinner every single night until the pot was empty. And heaven forbid I should try to spare my kids by taking them out somewhere for the evening and getting dinner while we were out. Any leftovers went into the fridge, still in the same pot and usually still warm. And within 3 days of finishing off a batch (which usually took 5-6 days), he'd be making a new one. So spaghetti was dinner roughly 25 days out of the month.
Posts: 4515 | Registered: Jul 2004
| IP: Logged |
Melt the marg' in the cream. Add the garlic and almonds, and stir until the garlic is brownish. Crack in the egg and whip until it disappears. Now chop up cheese and add bit by bit; stir until the cheese is melted. If it gets too thick, add some milk. Delicious!
Posts: 10645 | Registered: Jul 2004
| IP: Logged |
posted
I have to admit I haven't tried vodka sauce. I can't imagine what vodka could add to a sauce like that. Does it taste like a bloody mary cocktail or something? I suppose I'll just have to try it one of these days.
Posts: 4287 | Registered: Mar 2005
| IP: Logged |
quote:Originally posted by Tante Shvester: I've opened a jar of store-bought sauce, and either doctored it up with fresh things, or used it as is. It's really not all that disgusting.
Now, topping spaghetti with ketchup, that I can't condone or stomach. And, yeah, I know people who really do this. Sometimes they top it with American cheese. I've also known people to make "Fettuccine Alfredo" by topping spaghetti with mayonnaise. That is wrong on many many levels.
The jar of Prego is nowhere near eww-worthy once we expand the field of possibilities to include those travesties.
And chocolate in chili is good. I use either cocoa powder or unsweetened chocolate. Topping a bowl of chili with Hershey's Kisses, though, is something I wouldn't do.
I have put ketchup on pasta but I don't call it "spaghetti sauce."
I like ketchup on my (real) fettuccine alfredo, actually. That's good eats. Posts: 21182 | Registered: Sep 2004
| IP: Logged |
posted
It's hard to describe, but vodka can work really well, especially with cream cheese in the sauce. It adds a kind of earthy tone to everything. Trader Joe's used to do a marvelous vodka marinara, but they seem to have discontinued it.
When I'm doing a relatively quick and dirty spaghetti sauce, here's what I do.
Finely chop an onion and some garlic (1-3 cloves, depending on one's taste for garlic.)
Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium. The oil should move briskly when the skillet is tipped, but not smoke.
Add the onions and garlic to the skillet; crumble ground beef (if you're using it) into the skillet. Stir occasionally until the beef is browned and the onions are translucent.
Add 1 (14.5 oz/411 g) can of tomatoes in juice and one of the smaller cans of tomato paste and blend thoroughly. When the sauce is more or less homogeneous, add about 1 tbsp dried basil, 1 tsp dried oregano, salt to taste, and a very small pinch of nutmeg and cayenne. (A tiny amount brings out sweetness and bite; too much is overpowering.)
If you have them, a dash of red wine, red wine vinegar, or basalmic vinegar also adds a nice flavor if added during the onion/beef cooking stage.
Spoon over spaghetti.
Zucchini and eggplant are nice additions if you need some vegetables; if you're doing a vegetarian marinara, you can add carrots, cook until soft, and then puree the whole thing in a blender.
posted
No, I'm still shuddering about the ketchup on fettuccine alfredo. Pureed carrots are fine, especially if you don't have time to cut the acid another way.
Posts: 37449 | Registered: May 1999
| IP: Logged |
posted
Now, Tom, you haven't even tried it. How do you KNOW you won't like it?
My uncle puts carrots and zukes, grated, in his sauce (from his Italian grandma's recipe.) Then he cooks it over very low heat until they fall apart. No pureeing. It is so good, and you (well, picky kids) would never know there's veggies other than tomatoes in it. It gives it a richness that tomato-only sauce just doesn't have.
Posts: 21182 | Registered: Sep 2004
| IP: Logged |
posted
I guess next time someone gives me Alfredo sauce I'll try a little ketchup. I don't like Alfredo without it, so maybe a little extra salt and tang will improve it for me.
Posts: 4287 | Registered: Mar 2005
| IP: Logged |
quote:Originally posted by TomDavidson: No, I'm still shuddering about the ketchup on fettuccine alfredo. Pureed carrots are fine, especially if you don't have time to cut the acid another way.
I've heard various techniques for cutting the acid in tomato sauce before -- but I don't think I've ever tasted tomato sauce and thought "eww, too acid." I think I may be missing a tastebud or something. Or maybe I just like acidic flavors!
Posts: 3149 | Registered: Jul 2005
| IP: Logged |
quote:Originally posted by TomDavidson: No, I'm still shuddering about the ketchup on fettuccine alfredo. Pureed carrots are fine, especially if you don't have time to cut the acid another way.
I've heard various techniques for cutting the acid in tomato sauce before -- but I don't think I've ever tasted tomato sauce and thought "eww, too acid." I think I may be missing a tastebud or something. Or maybe I just like acidic flavors!
I agree, in fact, I usually add a bit of balsamic vinegar to get even more acid flavor.
I was inspired by this thread to make spaghetti tonight. I used canned tomatoes and tomato sauce, olive oil, onions, bell pepper, fresh mushrooms, dried oregano, minced garlic and fresh basil. Oh, and a splash of balsamic vinegar. It was most tasty with fresh parmesan and some garlic bread. I have some leftovers to take for my lunch tomorrow so I'm extra happy.
Posts: 2069 | Registered: May 2001
| IP: Logged |
Printer-friendly view of this topic
![[Razz]](tongue.gif)
![[ROFL]](graemlins/rofl.gif)
![[Big Grin]](biggrin.gif)
![[Frown]](frown.gif)
