ISO Simple sauce for pasta

[legend_018]

Helllo. I just want to make some kind of a nice sauce for spagetti tonight. Something simple with what I have in the house. Something that will be enough for 2-3 people only. I don't reallly want left overs. I have some tomatoe pasta, 1 large can of whole tomatoes and a few small cans of tomatoe sauce in the house. I also have onions. I don't think I want it to be a meat sauce, but if need be - I could take hamburger out of the freezor and defrost. Any ideas? Just looking to have a nice spagetti dinner tonight.

 

[Andy M.]

You could make a simple tomato sauce. Saute some onions and garlic in olive oil. Break up the whole tomatos and add that to the sauteed onion and garlic.

Add some basil and/or oregano. Simmer for 30 minutes. Done.

If you are adding fres basil, add it in the last ten minutes.

 

[GB]

I know you don't have these things listed, but I make a very simple sauce with olive oil, garlic, and dried cranberries that always goes over well.

 

[Jeekinz]

^^^^ what he said, don't forget the red wine though.

 

[kitchenelf]

Even if you just have dried oregano, ground garlic, dried basil, all of those will still make a nice sauce. It would REALLY be nice if you had some red wine to throw in there!!!! You don't even need meat if you don't feel like it. Sometimes all I want is a nice, thick, red sauce.

 

[bowlingshirt]

Empty the can of whole tomatoes into a pot and take a stick blender to them...season and simmer.

 

[legend_018]

You could make a simple tomato sauce.

Thanks a lot! this will help.

 

[legend_018]

I know you don't have these things listed, but I make a very simple sauce with olive oil, garlic, and dried cranberries that always goes over well.

This sounds rather interesting. I can't make it tonight, but how many dried cranberries? I whole bag of them?

 

[legend_018]

Well I have a 1lb of hamburger that I defrosted and mixed with parm cheese, italian breadcrumbs, water, onion and garlic. There in the oven now. I'll just cool them - put them in the fridge for the day.

When it's time to cook the "2-3 serving simple sauce" tonight, I'll heat up the meatballs in the sauce.

 

[legend_018]

by the way, I do have a very nice pasta sauce recipe that I got from my MIL. I halfed it the last time and I had enough left overs for quite awhile. It's very good. But - sometimes you just want a quick sauce to make that will just last for 1 or 2 dinners ya know?

 

[kitchenelf]

YUM - yes, meatballs!!!!!!!! I've always added milk to my meatballs, try it sometime.

Those will be GREAT heated in the sauce.

 

[expatgirl]

I'm salivating just listening to these suggestions--also if you have any mushrooms on hand--fresh or canned, add those as well. Especially if you want to have a meatless sauce.

 

[ChefJune]

I'm "famous" for something called "Funny Spaghetti." You saute your onions and garlic in olive oil, and then take all the veggies in the fridge out and dump them in to warm them up. Toss in some fresh herbs -- Italian parsley and/or whatever you have, or crumple up some dried ones, a little salt and pepper.

Cook your pasta al dente and toss with all the veggies and pass a chunk of Parm or Pecorino to grate fresh over the plate.

Used to get my SO's then 8-year-old son to eat all sorts of veggies he would refuse otherwise! He gave it the name!

 

[Aria]

The Funny Spaghetti sounds great. We started out with simple and it got better as we got going.

 

[*amy*]

A great summertime 'sauce' is a no-cook tomato sauce.

Prepare your pasta, drain. Add halved cherry tomatoes, chopped garlic, torn fresh basil and fresh mozzarella balls (halved), drizzle w evoo. Rub a cut clove of garlic around the serving bowls, and add your hot cooked pasta. The pasta will absorb some of the garlic flavor.

For a meat sauce - Bolognese

Vodka tomato cream sauce

If you have fresh basil or sun-dried tomatoes, make pesto sauce.

Roasted tomato sauce - Roast tomatoes with garlic and drizzle with evoo.

 

[GB]

This sounds rather interesting. I can't make it tonight, but how many dried cranberries? I whole bag of them?

I use a couple of handfuls. It is never the same amount each time I make it.

 

[legend_018]

I use a couple of handfuls. It is never the same amount each time I make it.

I hear ya. Thanks!!!. That helps.

 

[legend_018]

You could make a simple tomato sauce. Saute some onions and garlic in olive oil. Break up the whole tomatos and add that to the sauteed onion and garlic.
Add some basil and/or oregano. Simmer for 30 minutes. Done.
If you are adding fres basil, add it in the last ten minutes.

It turned out great! I might of used too much onion and perhaps I could of squished those little whole tomatoe buggers a little more "lol". But it was tasty. I decided on oregano. Is there a reason to choose between oregeno OR basil? You can't use both? It made plenty for tonights tonight dinner and even some left overs. I can't wait for lunch tomorrow "lol"

 

[Andy M.]

I'm really glad you liked it!

As I said in my post, you could use oregano and basil or either one alone.

 

[wysiwyg]

What about white sauce for some balance (I only saw red sauce recipes)?
I have two daughters, one of them loves Mornay sauce, so here it is the recipe for a Cup of sauce:

a) Bring a cup of milk with a pinch of salt to a boil in a small pan.
b) In a SS heavy bottom pan, melt 1 Tb of butter on low heat, blending slowly a 1.5 Tb of flour with a wooden spoon until the mix froths without overcooking (not more than 2 min. approx., mix will turn brown if overcooked)
c) Remove the mix from the heat and once the frothing stops, add the boiling milk at once and mix with a wire whip ensuring an uniform blend. Since it is hard to get an uniform mix by hand, I use an electric mixer in low speed to avoid splashing.
d) Bring back the mix to the stove (medium heat) and keep mixing until it boils for about a minute.
e) Remove from heat and add salt, pepper and about a 1/3 cup of Swiss or Parmesan cheese while beating until cheese melts. Add a pinch of nutmeg.
The entire process should not take more than 5 minutes.

Note: If you use a big pot to prepare the sauce, you can add the cooked pasta right after step e) and blend all ingredients together.
You can refrigerate leftover sauce in a sealed container.

There are numerous variation of the basic sauce (steps a to d) also called Velounte or Bechamel, let me know if you are interested.