Food Simple, basic and fresh pasta sauce!

Pursegrrl

Pursegrrl

Oh no she di-int!!
O.G.
Jun 1, 2006
28,863
1,050
#1
Hey all -

I found this recipe from an Italian cooking class I took years ago and whipped it up tonight. It's a great standby and a real blank canvas recipe....great on its own or ready for your improvising!

Serves 4 (or 2-3 hungry people)

In a 3-4 quart pot over medium-high heat, combine 1 chopped onion, 6 minced cloves garlic and 1 T olive oil. Stir often until onion is soft, about 5 minutes.

Meanwhile, mince or finely chop 1/4 C fresh basil leaves. Add to onion along with 1 can (28 oz) of whole, pear tomatoes with their juice. Add 1/2 C dry red wine and 1/2 tsp hot chili flakes. Boil for about 10 minutes until reduced. Keep stirring occasionally, breaking the tomatoes into smaller pieces. NOTE: you can add salt to taste and even a couple cubes of sugar to cut the acidity. It's all up to you!

While the sauce is reducing, boil some pasta, return it to the pasta pot after draining, and toss the sauce with it.

NOTE: I've varied this by adding chopped mushrooms, shrimp, leftover sauteed chicken, you name it. Have fun! Let's face it: jar pasta sauce is always a quick fix, but it's also very satisfying (IMO) to make your own sauce. The difference in flavor is amazing and it doesn't take all day!

Buon appetito!
 
#2
Pursegrrl said:
Hey all -

jar pasta sauce is always a quick fix, but it's also very satisfying (IMO) to make your own sauce. The difference in flavor is amazing and it doesn't take all day!

Buon appetito!
Click to expand...

Sauce from a jar? I dare you to go to Brooklyn and suggest that! :tdown:

You know what you should add to your "gravy"? Carrots, just cut one in half and throw it in your sauce. Then take the carrot out before you serve. It will cut out the acidity. Do not put sugar in it...PLEASE!!! Also, only add fresh herbs in the last few minutes of cooking.
 
#3
HubbaWubba said:
Sauce from a jar? I dare you to go to Brooklyn and suggest that! :tdown:

You know what you should add to your "gravy"? Carrots, just cut one in half and throw it in your sauce. Then take the carrot out before you serve. It will cut out the acidity. Do not put sugar in it...PLEASE!!! Also, only add fresh herbs in the last few minutes of cooking.
Click to expand...

Interesting! Oh absolutely, you can always add the herbs later, but the sauce goes pretty quickly so it isn't a major difference I've noticed. I've never put sugar in my sauces until my BF suggested it. I honestly didn't notice a difference one way or another with this recipe!
 
#4
I found this thread because I'm searching for simple but tasty (and preferably low-fat!) sauce recipes for pasta and this one sounds great!

Any more I could try?
 
#5
I use just olive oil, garlic, add tomatoes, salt and basil at the end. Simple but delicious. I use this also with fresh tomatoes in the summer.

You can also make all sorts of pasta sauces using either chicken stock or mushroom stock (i use "better than bouillion"). I cook up a bunch of mushrooms (all different types) in a little bit of olive oil. I add the mushroom stock/water because they need moisture. I then mix this combo with a touch of cream and some parmesan cheese for mushroom pasta.
I make a ton of sauces using butternut squash also.
 
#7
Hey, great seeing this thread bumped! I do still love this recipe and how versatile it is. I still remember very vividly the instructor telling us to get WHOLE canned tomatoes and either break them up while they are cooking, or, depending on the sauce recipe, actually puree them in right in the large (28oz) can with one of those small hand blender dealies before adding them to the mix (I have a Cuisinart that i love). She claims that if we buy canned chopped up toms we don't exactly know what we're getting, LOL. Whole, peeled canned toms are the way to go.

XXXOO PG
 
#9
an Italian man my friend was dating taught us a similar pasta sauce that I love. no onions, and instead of plum tomatoes, he'd use fresh tomatoes on the vine. it's so simple and delicious!
 
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