Lasagna Sauce questions/problems

[Aria]

Tomato Sauce for your lasagna: Crushed Tomato and Tomato Sauce is a great combination. NO SALT needed. Season with pepper, little oregano,little basil, little parsley. LOTS of fresh garlic...saute in EVOO.

 

[Corey123]

Kosher salt in and of itself isn't less salty tasting. As discussed before, it has a larger crystal size. If you measure out a teaspoon of kosher salt and dissolve it in a cup of water and do the same with table salt, the kosher-salted water would be less salty-tasting. But that's not because the kosher salt itself is less salty, it's because less salt fit into the teaspoon and thus less salt is in the water.

I was always told that it's less salty-tasting than regular salt.

 

[Andy M.]

I was always told that it's less salty-tasting than regular salt.

Corey, that myth exists because of the difference in grain size for kosher vs. table salt. Because table salt has a finer grain, more salt will fit into a tablespoon (smaller airspaces between the finer grains).

The coarser grain of kosher salt results in a tablespoon's holding less salt because of larger air spaces between the coarser grains.

As a result, a tablespoon of table salt will make a pot of sauce (or whatever) saltier than a tablespoon of kosher salt, creating the myth.

Alternatively, an equal weight of either salt will have the same effect. A gram or ounce of table salt and a gram or ounce of kosher salt will add equal saltiness to a dish.

 

[Candocook]

But I think there is a difference in the actual taste. It may not be "saltiness", but the chemical taste from Morton's that is more pronounced. That is the way I perceive it, anyway.

 

[Corey123]

Kosher salt, in a lot of instances, can be used in a recipe that calls for it.

But I've seen where it has been used to completely cover a whole fish before baking it. To form a thick crust over the fish while it bakes.

Which lead me to believe that it's not really that salty. Otherwise the fish would be so salty that it would be much too unbearable to eat.

 

[Constance]

I cook up some good Italian sausage, add it to 2-3 jars of Prego, and simmer for a while. Sometimes I add mushrooms and/or olives.
If Prego is too sweet for you, try Bertolli...tastes like the sauce Mrs.Temporiti used to make.

 

[Corey123]

That may be ok, but trust me, there is nothing, and I mean NOTHING, quite like making your own sauce!

I do it all the time. I like to slow-simmer it on the stove over low heat for at least 3 - 4 hours. This helps to insure that the sauce doesn't stick and burn on the bottom, because if you try to rush and cook it with high heat, it won't have a chance to marry all the ingredients together. This goes fot all tomato sauces, even marinara.

To me, the longer you let it cook, the more it brings out all that homemade goodness and Italian flavor.

 

[Constance]

Corey, time was, I'd never have thought of feeding my family jarred tomato sauce. I even grew my own tomatoes (Romas for canning) and did everything from scratch.

Time and age change all things. Thing being, the family never even noticed the difference.

 

[Corey123]

Yeah, I realise that things change and people may change the way they prepare their meals, but I just like to make momemade sauces for pasta.

I've always done it that way at home and even after we all left home and went on our own.

 

[Andy M.]

Kosher salt, in a lot of instances, can be used in a recipe that calls for it.

But I've seen where it has been used to completely cover a whole fish before baking it. To form a thick crust over the fish while it bakes.

Which lead me to believe that it's not really that salty. Otherwise the fish would be so salty that it would be much too unbearable to eat.

Corey, Corey, Corey!!!

The salt is on the skin and is dry so it never reaches the flesh you are going to eat. You could make the same salt crust with table salt. It's not there for flavor but to insulate the fish and provice gentle heat and seal in the moisture.

 

[Corey123]

Don't get so upset. Why do you guys always have to shout at me? If I did that to you, you would not like it, so please don't do it to me.

Only telling you what I've seen. And I NEVER ONCE said that it was there for flavor. And yes, I DID see it put on the fish dry.

 

[Andy M.]

Don't get so upset. Why do you guys always have to shout at me? If I did that to you, you would not like it, so please don't do it to me.

Only telling you what I've seen. And I NEVER ONCE said that it was there for flavor. And yes, I DID see it put on the fish dry.

Corey, I'm not upset with you and wasn't shouting at you.

I was responding to your comment that you assumed since the salty crust didn't make the fish really salty, kosher salt wasn't as salty as other salts.

 

[Corey123]

I think I'll leave this one alone now.

It's obvious that we don't agree which each other on this issue.

 

[auntdot]

Good grief, this forum is getting tough.

I was criticized for putting hot sauce in my tomato sauce. Something about being un-Italian.

Cannot figure that one out since I did not claim it to be Italian at all, just stated that it is what I add to my sauce. Glad I did not mention some of the other bits I toss in, may have had the sauce police at my door.

Could not live that shame down.

As an ex-chemist and oceanographer, and just sort of a curious person, I can tell you that all the salt we have, and always will have, comes from the ocean. The only difference between the salts is when it was laid down.

If it comes from mines and is crushed it has one form, if someone has taken the time to let the sea dry out to crystals it takes a different form.

And the density is different. And if someone thinks he or she can taste the difference, God bless them. I cannot,but my taste has been altered by inhaling many chemical fumes.

But I doubt anyone could taste the difference if the stuff was dumped into a sauce.

But I am getting off the topic. And that is I like this forum, really do. And the folks who are the denizens.

If Sushi, who I think is great, should post a recipe with bananas, well I hate those things. And would just pass.

Or if someone posts a recipe that I think is a disaster, I just move on. Nothing to be seen here folks.

We are talking about cooking, not politics or religion. Although I can talk to folks about either of those subjects without rancor,

But, again, this is a cooking forum.

And if you have an idea about doing something with a food, other than the darned banana, I will listen to it, repectfully.

And thank you for your idea.

That is all I have to say.

 

[Aria]

Corey123, I am with you. I look forward to making my tomato sauce. Homemade. YES.

 

[Corey123]

Thanks. Nothing like it!

 

[Aria]

Corey123, YES and it's easy and worth the time. I usually make a large batch use some and freeze some.

 

[Corey123]

Yes, you've read my mind, because I do the same thing!

 

[Candocook]

First, yes I also make my own lasagna/spagetti sauce.
I use kosher salt because I like to.

Aunt Dot said, among other thingsabout where salt comes from But I doubt anyone could taste the difference if the stuff was dumped into a sauce.

This is the crux of the saltiness "problem". The various salts--even the very expensive fleur de sel--taste like "salt" when in the sauce. BUT they are measured differently because of their structure so you'd better know how much kosher salt to add instead of MOrton's. And even "Morton's" can be used to make a salt crust for fish--or as we did for a camping meal, a roast beef encrusted in a mustard/salt crust.
And no one is yelling.

 

[Corey123]

Thank you!