Tomato Sauce

[CharlieD]

Gee the foreigners lighten up. (Now I am a foreigner too, so I can say that). Let’s start from beginning, if you use canned tomatoes they are plenty watery, at least here in USA they are. We do not know what kind or quality your tomatoes. If they are too watery to begin then cook slowly and do not over cook, if they are still too watery add the tomato paste, like it's been said already and it will thicken it up. If you start with something that is too thick to begin with then add water. But add a little bit at the time until you get to the right consistency not too watery.

Now who was talking about sugar and Italian relatives? If I lived in Italy I may be wouldn't have been using the sugar either. Different variety of tomatoes. Back in Ukraine we had tomatoes that were practically sweet. Here I try to grow tomatoes and no matter what I do they are very acidic. Sugar helps to break the acidity. So I am all for sugar. But then I am not Italian. And neither is she.

 

[GB]

Fighting with an Admin might not be the best,but here's my point:
I said it get THICK.THEN liquid,when I add sauce.NOW my question is:How do I keep it from getting thick?And if it's liquid already,how do I make it LESS liquid?
Not trying to be rude,but I speak if I want to,and I tell what's on my mind.

Grandpa :3.

You can speak your mind without being rude. Everyone else here is able to do that and so are you.

In any event, Jenny already answered that part of your question as well (as did others).

Any liquid will thicken via evaporation by simmering it.

. First, if you cook it uncovered, some of the liquid will evaporate, making a thicker sauce.

 

[CharlieD]

P.S. I know you think that your English is good enough to understand. But I just read your last post and did not understand any of it. I go thru the same thing, sometimes I post something and people do not understand me. So you have two choices explain your self again, make it clear what you are talking about, make sure that in fact people understood what you are talking about and then get frustrated if they do not give you the answer you want to hear. Now after you get frustrated you also have two choices, get the heck out of here or ask again politely. Now being a grandpa, I have hearing problem, where did you say you were from.

 

[WinterDream]

Well GB,no point in arguing.Like I said I let water evaporate and it gets thick,then I put water and it gets too liquid.
Let's just drop it.In my opinion I wasn't being rude after all.

Thanks,Grandpa.(Did you look at your CP?)
I'm actually adding those tomato paste,I just forgot to mention it.It's only the problem when the sauce is done and I need more of it.Because the way I do it I don't get too much sauce.(I make it with heat 2 or 3,which isn't that much)

 

[quicksilver]

Thanks, LC

 

[CharlieD]

Sorry mist my CP.

Let's step back and try to make that sauce right. This is how I do it. I start with sauteing some onion then add canned tomatoes and start cooking. If it is too liquidy then add paste. But not a lot. And cook a little more, you do not have to cook the sauce for a long time.

More latter. Have to go pretend that I am working.

 

[larry_stewart]

Sometimes, when using canned tomatoes, Ill drain them first ( save the liquid). There usually is enough liquid inside the canned tomatoes, so when u cut them up or mash them, they will provide a decent amount of liquid. If it is too thick, or boils down too much, u can always add the tomato liquid that you saved in the beginning, this way, you can make it less thick, with out watering down the flavor.

 

[deelady]

I am very much impressed with the members here continuing to offer help to a person who has been blantanlty rude and disrespectful to genuine people that are only trying to help and be of assistence.
And I am very much appalled that someone would come here and make such snide comments to a community they have only just joined...not a very good way to make a good first impression.

 

[quicksilver]

deelady, I apologize to you especially, as maybe it was my fault making the noodle/pasta distinction. In my italian family that is
a standing joke/no-no to call one the other. I do love both, however, in their proper place. Goulash is definately noodles, but would not call manicotti-noodles. And would NEVER put italian, bolannaise sauce on noodles. I'd have to go in "witness protection!".

 

[CharlieD]

Neah, she just a kid, very pationate and english is not her strongest side. (neither it is mine). So she says what she thinks with out thinking or even knowing the real meaning of the words she uses. let's give her a brake for this time.

As far as pasta and noodles, I spent in Italy only 6 month, so I did not have enough time to catch the difference.

 

[larry_stewart]

ok, so ill throw another one at ya, although completely off topic here

Pasta or Noodle

Sauce or Gravy

My aunt called it gravy and my grandmother called them noodles.

When i think of noodles with gravy, i think of egg noodels with some kind of brown gravy on it.

For me, spaghetti and sauce, but i keep an open mind for others

 

[BreezyCooking]

While you all know that I normally - ahem - avoid contentious threads, here's my 2 cents.

First off, if you're following a recipe, many sauce recipes are supposed to be thin; others thicker. A fresh tomato sauce isn't supposed to have the same consistency as a long-simmered ragu.

That said, I'm still having problems figuring out why, once your sauce has reached a nice thick consistency you feel a need to thin it out again. This, as others here have said, doesn't make any sense. Is it because a recipe has said you need to simmer the sauce for "x" number of hours & yours is thick much sooner? If that's the problem, screw the recipe. Just use the sauce when it's ready to your taste. I have a lovely ragu recipe that says to simmer for 3 hours. Mine is ready in one hour & I don't feel I'm missing anything by not continuing to cook it for 2 more hours. And if you do want to thin you sauce out a little when it's nearly done, use some broth or some dry red or white wine instead of water. Much tastier result.

 

[snack_pack85]

brown sugar? Italians in my family never heard of that.

I didn't realize the OP was asking for "italian" only tips . And it's always worked very well for me when I make sauces a little to acidic. To each his own I guess.

 

[PanchoHambre]

the Italian-American side of my family calls red sauce "gravy" only the Sunday Sauce though... pasta is "Macaroni" unless it is spaghetti.

Using a sweetner is typical weather it is wine, sugar whatever... there is no "correct" way to make red sauce... that is one of the beautiful things about it is everybody makes it differently.

 

[snack_pack85]

the Italian-American side of my family calls red sauce "gravy" only the Sunday Sauce though... pasta is "Macaroni" unless it is spaghetti.

Using a sweetner is typical weather it is wine, sugar whatever... there is no "correct" way to make red sauce... that is one of the beautiful things about it is everybody makes it differently.

Exactly Pancho. Isn't that why we all love to cook so much? Experimenting and finding out what works best for US is part of the fun. If my favorite "spaghetti" sauce has corn and blueberries in it...welll...who's to say thats wrong...right?

(okay maybe blueberries was taking it too far, ...but you get my point)

 

[larry_stewart]

My friend used to sweeten her sauce by grating, then caramelizing carrots, and adding them to the sauce. Then loads of fresh basil. Probably one of the most memorable sauces ive had. Cant duplicate it and lost contact with her. So it lives on only in my memory

 

[Potato Repairman]

For those who make the distinction, what makes pasta different from noodles?

 

[AMSeccia]

If memory serves, it has something to do with Italian "pasta" being made from duram semolina (wheat), where noodles were originally from Asia and made some other milled subtance (which escapes me just now). But even gnocchi and other "dumplings" or items made from dough are loosely referred to as "pasta" in some circles. I have several Italian cookbooks (written by Italians, you naysayers) that refer to pasta as macaroni. Oh ... and I am Italian too. But that doesn't mean I know any more than the next Italian. Human nature -- we only know what we know.

 

[Aria]

How I make Tomato Sauce for Pasta

A couple of tablespoons EVOO in a warm pan

If you want meatballs....make them and fry in this EVOO and remove and place in a bowl.

If you want to add sausage or other meat....saute in this pan with the EVOO and remove an place in a bowl.

Saute onion (about 2 tablespoons) more or less...your taste

GARLIC...fresh about 4 cloves cleaned. NEVER BURN.


Place Tomato Sauce (in our area Hunts) seems to be the best. We use two large cans tomato sauce and one can crushed tomatoes.

Tomato Sauce, cooked onion, cooked garlic. Add basil, parsley (according to taste) at least 1/2 teaspoons of each. Grind black pepper and add.
We do NOT add salt. Most tomato sauce has salt. Sprinkle oregano.

Add a small piece of raw carrot and small piece of raw onion.

Cover and let come to a boil. When it has cooked about 20 minutes.
ADD the meat and simmer 1/2 hour. The sauce will thicken as it cooks.
....with a cover. Tilt the cover a bit to let the steam build up escape.
Add 1/2 to one glass of red port wine.

SIMMER at this stage....NEVER BOIL> AND do not cook more than one hour. ENJOY

 

[PanchoHambre]

My friend used to sweeten her sauce by grating, then caramelizing carrots, and adding them to the sauce. Then loads of fresh basil. Probably one of the most memorable sauces ive had. Cant duplicate it and lost contact with her. So it lives on only in my memory

Interesting larry... I often add a whole carrot raw but never thought to shred and caramelize... I may try this next time by including it with the initial flavor base saute.