ISO OSF-style tomato pasta sauce recipe

[Sprout]

I used to work at an Old Spaghetti Factory and have really been craving the food lately. I found a copycat recipe for their garlic cheese bread and their creamy pesto dressing, so the last thing I need is a good sauce to go with the cheese bread. I usually make a fairly rich, fully spiced, slightly sweet red sauce for pasta. Mine won't work for this very rich cheese bread. I can't find any recipes for theirs.

Their sauce is reasonably thick and substantial, but still light and bright in flavor with a definite but controlled tartness. It has chunks of tomato, no meat. I know they added herbs and spices but they were mild. This was a very tomato-ey sauce. I would love to make a sauce like this for when I try out the garlic cheese bread recipe. Does anyone have a sauce that might fit the bill?

 

[Aunt Bea]

This is probably a stupid question, but fools rush in!

Have you tried leaving the meat out of the meat sauce recipe?

Old Spaghetti Factory Copycat Recipes: Meat Sauce

 

[PrincessFiona60]

Most Italian "sauce dips"are made from marinara, any good marinara should be perfect for what you would like, Sprout. They are not heavily spice and quick to make up. I like this one: Best Marinara Sauce Yet Recipe - Allrecipes.com

 

[bbobson]

Ooo, thanks Fiona. I had meant to look up a recipe for marinara sauce. A couple years ago my wife had found a recipe for vegetarian spaghetti that became my favorite, adding meat was tricky because it actually didn't taste as good most of the time. Lost the recipe and have never been able to find it again. What was so unique for us was the sauce, very light and bright compared to most sauces we have had.

 

[salt and pepper]

Sounds like a Marinara sauce with added tomato paste and some red wine.

 

[CraigC]

If you are not opposed to a recipe from Jeff Smith, this is a great sauce. It is the base sauce we use for pasta alla vodka.

Fresh Tomato Sauce Sicilian Recipe - Food.com - 94011

 

[PrincessFiona60]

Sounds like a Marinara sauce with added tomato paste and some red wine.

What recipe do you use?

 

[Aunt Bea]

I like this basic sauce from Marcella Hazan.

If I remember I stick a couple of whole cloves in the onion.

The leftovers make a great cream of tomato soup, add a pinch of baking soda to the tomato sauce along with the some milk or cream and reheat.

Classic Recipe: Marcella Hazan's Famous Tomato Sauce | The Kitchn

 

[Sprout]

This is probably a stupid question, but fools rush in!

Have you tried leaving the meat out of the meat sauce recipe?

Old Spaghetti Factory Copycat Recipes: Meat Sauce

That would be a great idea, but I know from my time there that their meat sauce is completely different than their tomato. Thank you for the effort though!

Thank you for the recipes, all! Now I just have to decide which one to try first.