Need homemade Italian tomato sauce recipe!

[niquejim]

If you think your red sauce is too acidic add a little(very little, like 1/4 tsp or less to start) of baking soda. It raises the residual alkalinity which reduces that acidic taste while adding no real flavor of it's own like sugar would

 

[niquejim]

I prefer a red sauce but my family prefers a chunky meat/mushroom sauce.

 

[Mimizkitchen]

Red Kades and if the tomatoes are too acidic I add more onion, sometimes a little carrot, but I always use San Marzano tomatoes that are imported so I usually don't have a problem with the acid... Cento now has San Marzano's imported from Italy which are very good... However I do love all kinds of ragu's and make them often...

 

[kadesma]

The reason I asked was no one seems to use the dry reconstituted mushooms and the wonderful broth they give. My kids love it and it's our favorite sauce for ravioli and pasta other than pesto. I like bolonese with veal so we are diverse in many ways. The brown gravy I make is my m-i-l's so to make DH happy that is what I go with.
kades

 

[Andy M.]

The reason I asked was no one seems to use the dry reconstituted mushooms and the wonderful broth they give. My kids love it and it's our favorite sauce for ravioli and pasta other than pesto. I like bolonese with veal so we are diverse in many ways. The brown gravy I make is my m-i-l's so to make DH happy that is what I go with.
kades

Kades, I usually put dried porcini in my sauce. I don't see the need to rehydrate them first, I just break them up and toss them into the sauce dry. There's plenty of liquid to rehydrate them during cooking.

These mushrooms do not make my sauce brown.

Between the sauteed onions and the sauteed tomato paste, I get enough sweetness to cut the acid. I never add sugar.

Occasionally, if I encounter a particularly acidic can of tomatoes, I have resorted to using the smallest pinch of baking soda to neutralize the acid. Works great.

 

[kadesma]

Kades, I usually put dried porcini in my sauce. I don't see the need to rehydrate them first, I just break them up and toss them into the sauce dry. There's plenty of liquid to rehydrate them during cooking.

These mushrooms do not make my sauce brown.

Between the sauteed onions and the sauteed tomato paste, I get enough sweetness to cut the acid. I never add sugar.

Occasionally, if I encounter a particularly acidic can of tomatoes, I have resorted to using the smallest pinch of baking soda to neutralize the acid. Works great.

Andy I rehydrate to get that brown broth from the mushrooms this in turn adds more flavor and turns my gravy a rich brown color it also allows me to strain off any sand from the mushrooms that grit can ruin the whole thing. The tomatoes I use are sometimes some that I've roasted in the oven others from Italy that are as sweet as sugar. Cost a little more but worth it.
cj

 

[Andy M.]

Andy I rehydrate to get that brown broth from the mushrooms this in turn adds more flavor and turns my gravy a rich brown color it also allows me to strain off any sand from the mushrooms that grit can ruin the whole thing. The tomatoes I use are sometimes some that I've roasted in the oven others from Italy that are as sweet as sugar. Cost a little more but worth it.
cj

Kades, if I add the dry mushrooms to the sauce, the brown broth forms in the sauce with the liquid from the other ingredients. I'm just leaving out the water used to rehydrate the mushrooms.

I use certified San Marzano tomatoes from Italy. We don't have a veggie garden and really good fresh tomatoes aren't available for more than a couple of weeks per year right about now.

Grit hasn't been an issue. I brush off any loose surface dust before I use them.

 

[Nicholas Mosher]

I sometimes use dried porcinis depending on the tomato sauce. I put mine through a spice grinder and then sift through a fine mesh filter into the sauce. The grit and woody pieces stay behind.

 

[Mimizkitchen]

I often use dried mushrooms and always soak them first, I then strain the liquid and add it to my dish... IMO there is nothing worse than spending so much time and effort on something only to add grittiness to my food...

 

[urmaniac13]

dried porcini are such versatile treasures, it's quite powerful so a little goes a long way too. Fresh porcini are quite expensive also in Italy, also quite seasonal, so dried ones are the practical option also for us. They do give lovely flavour to a gravy type sauce, but for a pasta sauce I personally prefer non-tomato based sauce when paired with the porcini flavour (with olive oil, or cream for example).

 

[kadesma]

Kades, if I add the dry mushrooms to the sauce, the brown broth forms in the sauce with the liquid from the other ingredients. I'm just leaving out the water used to rehydrate the mushrooms.

I use certified San Marzano tomatoes from Italy. We don't have a veggie garden and really good fresh tomatoes aren't available for more than a couple of weeks per year right about now.

Grit hasn't been an issue. I brush off any loose surface dust before I use them.

I'll have to try it that way. My mushrooms I buy at a little italian store and they are gritty. will give tham a good shke and brush down.
kades

 

[Kayelle]

I brought home a huge package of dried porcini from Italy and I use them with abandon in my sauce. I just rinse them in a colander and dump them in with everything.. I always use red wine too, so yes, it comes out more brown than red Kades.

 

[kadesma]

I brought home a huge package of dried porcini from Italy and I use them with abandon in my sauce. I just rinse them in a colander and dump them in with everything.. I always use red wine too, so yes, it comes out more brown than red Kades.

YES a girl after my own heart Do you chop them finely? or leave whole.
kades

 

[Andy M.]

YES a girl after my own heart Do you chop them finely? or leave whole.
kades

I just break them up by hand. I use red or white wine.

 

[kadesma]

I just break them up by hand. I use red or white wine.

I put a little chianti when no one is looking, I love the stuff
kades

 

[Andy M.]

I put a little chianti when no one is looking, I love the stuff
kades

I always have a bottle of dry white vermouth on hand for cooking in case we don't have a bottle of wine open. If I'm drinking wine, I'll add that instead. I stay away from tannic reds and oaky whites. I don't like the way they effect the taste of the sauce.

 

[Kayelle]

YES a girl after my own heart Do you chop them finely? or leave whole.
kades

I keep them the way they are for the rinse under the faucet, and then break them up by hand when I throw them in the pot. My wine of choice for the sauce is Chianti also Kades, I think it rounds out the flavor perfectly. I'm not stingy with it either.

 

[Nicholas Mosher]

I often go with a Chianti when I include meat and mushrooms, but for a basic red sauce I stick with a Pinot Grigio.

 

[kadesma]

I always have a bottle of dry white vermouth on hand for cooking in case we don't have a bottle of wine open. If I'm drinking wine, I'll add that instead. I stay away from tannic reds and oaky whites. I don't like the way they effect the taste of the sauce.

I have Vermouth and it's about gone I've never heard of white vermouth. Is it like the pale yello type I have? I enjoy using it the flavor is mild and easy on the tummy
kades

 

[Andy M.]

I have Vermouth and it's about gone I've never heard of white vermouth. Is it like the pale yello type I have? I enjoy using it the flavor is mild and easy on the tummy
kades

There are two main types of vermouth. Dry white vermouth and sweet vermouth which is reddish. The dry is what's used for martinis and isn't white but like white wine. Actually, it is white wine fortified with alcohol and flavored with herbs.