What is your favorite pasta sauce?

[QSis]

Oooo! Zereh, I forgot about puttanesca! I LOVE that and haven't had it in ages!

I stand by alio e oleo (whatever) as my favorite, if I could only choose one, but pasta puttanesca is incredible!

I use the recipe in one of the first of Frugal Gourmet's books.

Lee

 

[Chief Longwind Of The North]

I don't make from scratch. I don't have a recipe for it since my mom died. She made the best and she took it with her
I was wondering what you all make for spaghetti?
i just buy the canned or jars of regular red sauce and alfredo.

It is multiple choice if you like.

I a 12 oz can of tomato sauce, the same size can of diced tomatoes, and a ten oz. can of tomato paste. Add to this 2 cloves of fresh garlic, 1/2 onion, diced, and the following herbs: Sweet Basil, Rosemary, Thyme, Oregano, and as of a few days ago, Rubbed Sage. I add 2 tbs. of brown sugar to cut the acidity a bit. The herb amounts will vary to your taste. I usually start with 1/2 tsp. of each, then let cook for at least ten minutes to let the herbs release their oils into the sauce, stir, taste, and adjust as needed. I also add sliced mushrooms that have been sauteed in butter and lightly salted to the suace. I use a pound of cooked ground beef with this amount of sauce. Just remember that everyone has different taste preferences. Make your sauce something that is bold, but with no one flavor dominating the sauce. L

 

[buckytom]

my fave is what's called "sunday gravy" in north joisey.
it is a red/meat sauce, but not using ground beef. EVER!
i hate ground beef in sauce, unless it's stuffed in peppers or cabbage or something. never over pasta.

the sauce, or gravy, is a combination of garden veggies like various peppers (bell, frying, wax), onions, garlic and zucchini, and herbs such as oregano and basil. i also add lots of sliced white or baby bella mushrooms, and of course there's the tomato base, which has been flavored by the addition of browned meats such as meatballs, pork sausages, and pork rib ends, and veal shoulder chops. the pan is deglazed after browning the meats with red wine, and that is added to the sauce as well, along with more red wine. the meat is cooked until half way tender, then the veggies added, so it all comes ready together.

 

[texasgirl]

Thanks for sharing the recipes with me!! I appreciate it!

 

[mish]

Hard to decide, since I'm fond of most of the sauces mentioned.

In the tomato catagory - I prefer fresh i.e. tomatoes, onions, garlic, herbs, evoo - rather than a heavy meat sauce. I rub the bowls with cut garlic before I pour in the pasta.

White sauces are another favorite because I add mushrooms, seafood etc. and freshly grated cheese and black pepper.

Alfredo is okay - but, it's can overpower a dish. I like alfredo/sun-dried tomato sauce.

Linguine and clam sauce is another fav - but I much prefer fresh clams and a buttery garlic parsley sauce.

A Buttery, garlic, sage (or herb of choice) sauce is great on a (pumpkin) ravioli dish etc.

For me, the fresher and lighter, the better -- I like the sauce to compliment the dish, rather than bury it in sauce.

Ooops, forgot vodka tomato cream sauce and pesto mixed with some cream. Re pesto - there are lots of interesting variations other than basil -- the list goes on and on.

 

[buckytom]

speaking of light sauces, another fave is a good seafood fra diavolo.

fresh crushed, skinned and seeded tomatoes just cooked down a little, with some roasted garlic, a little browned sweet onion, a tablespoon of crushed hot red pepper, and a teaspoon of anchovy paste, and when it is all simmering, a handful of torn basil leaves and shellfish (clams, mussels, shrimp, crabs), squid, conch, and a firm white fish, cubed, go in. they are cooked, covered, just until the clams open and the shrimp are opaque.

 

[GB]

This is my absolute favorite!

 

[mish]

my fave is what's called "sunday gravy" in north joisey.
it is a red/meat sauce, but not using ground beef. EVER!
i hate ground beef in sauce, unless it's stuffed in peppers or cabbage or something. never over pasta.

the sauce, or gravy, is a combination of garden veggies like various peppers (bell, frying, wax), onions, garlic and zucchini, and herbs such as oregano and basil. i also add lots of sliced white or baby bella mushrooms, and of course there's the tomato base, which has been flavored by the addition of browned meats such as meatballs, pork sausages, and pork rib ends, and veal shoulder chops. the pan is deglazed after browning the meats with red wine, and that is added to the sauce as well, along with more red wine. the meat is cooked until half way tender, then the veggies added, so it all comes ready together.

BT, reminds of a sauce the ex Italian BF made in a big pot...he added just about everything but the kitchen sink . Sausage, beef, peppers, tomatoes, Garlic, garlic and garlic, onions, red wine, (left over chicken?), herbs and I wish I knew what else. It was his secret sauce. It simmered on the stove for a long time and the house smelled GREATTTTTTTTT!!!!

&...I like Red as well as White clam sauce. I've tried lobster sauce in a can, and it's not too shabby.

 

[buckytom]

that's the stuff, mish, it's called sunday gravy, because italian families would get together on sundays, and mama would start making the sauce while everyone else went off to church, because it took hours to make, and it needs regular stirring.

it is shameful for any real italian american (from nj, anyway) to eat sauce from a can or jar. in fact, them's fightin' words...

"your mama wears army boots"

"oh yeah? well yours eats sauce from a jar!"

then the donnybrook would begin...

oh, and leftover chicken is good to add as well. i love skinned, bone-in breasts in sauce. grate a pile of pecorino over top, and stand back.

 

[mish]

that's the stuff, mish, it's called sunday gravy, because italian families would get together on sundays, and mama would start making the sauce while everyone else went off to church, because it took hours to make, and it needs regular stirring.

it is shameful for any real italian american (from nj, anyway) to eat sauce from a can or jar. in fact, them's fightin' words...

"your mama wears army boots"

"oh yeah? well yours eats sauce from a jar!"

then the donnybrook would begin...

oh, and leftover chicken is good to add as well. i love skinned, bone-in breasts in sauce. grate a pile of pecorino over top, and stand back.

THAT'S THE ONE, BT!!! Life doesn't get much better than homemade Can I have some meatballs with that.

 

[buckytom]

of course chica. meatballs were one of the first things that i learned to make when i was forcibly thrust from the nest.

one of the old italian guys that i work with gave me his mama's recipe, a classic. i've tasted rocco dispirito's mother's meatballs, and they can't hold a candle to mine.
unfortunately, most of it is made by eye, and how it feels.
i make them every year for my dept.'s christmas party, along with the sunday gravy. i will have to write down the exact amounts of everything so i can post an accurate recipe.

 

[licia]

My aunt who married into an Italian family makes a very good sauce. She uses onions, garlic, pureed tomatoes, basil, meat balls, pork chops and veal chops and I can't remember the rest. She makes a huge pot and divides it into quart jars and freezes it.

 

[foodaholic]

Wow,I could never pick a favorite pasta.Personally I find being Canadian and having 4 distinctive seasons that inevitably I get cravings for different pasta.
In the fall when the temp is getting closer to freezing everyday I'm starting to think on the heavy side like a diablo and when it's really cold a carbonara
is heaven.Not to mention a gorgonzola cream sauce with sundried tomatoes and orrechietta. Spring and summer I'm thinking all things veg and just go nuts in August for fresh tomatoes and use them every which way I can.A simple wine and vongole pasta or an aglio e olio or a roasted garlic,rapini and
ricotta salata pasta.....and it's really funny how I've been thinking carbonara lately,looks like it's going to be sooner than later.

 

[buckytom]

foodaholic, i've "heard" that the gorgonzola/sundried tomato sauce is a winner.

sorry, couldn't resist.

but seriously, do you have a recipe for such?
and for the garlic/rapini (?)/ricotta salata pasta?

 

[purrfectlydevine]

My mother makes wonderful tomato based sauce with meat. We like on small rigatoni.

 

[Northern Rocker]

clear butter and freshly grated truffle, add parmesan.

 

[urmaniac13]

We tried something completely new yesterday for dinner and it was soooo delicious and simple.

We cracked a couple of eggs and beat them, then chopped up some fresh mozzarella. We tossed these two all together with piping hot pasta, just sautèed up vegs (we used finely chopped onion, carrot, tomatoes and broccoli) and a little salt and cayenne pepper.

This was one of our most satisfying impromptu inventions!!

 

[Constance]

I love pasta with any kind of sauce...even just butter, garlic, cheese and S&P.

 

[foodaholic]

foodaholic, i've "heard" that the gorgonzola/sundried tomato sauce is a winner.

sorry, couldn't resist.

but seriously, do you have a recipe for such?
and for the garlic/rapini (?)/ricotta salata pasta?

Verrrrry sneeeeky bucky. Recipe,what's that?Seriously though, I really don't use recipes 99% of the time.

Gorgonzola/Sundried: This is basically a cream sauce.I usually saute some slivered garlic and shallot until soft over a fairly low heat in eevo/butter.Add the sundried tomatoes (I actually use my oven dried/olive oil tomatoes) and some small diced baby eggplant and saute for a few minutes.turn up the heat and add 35% cream and bring to a boil,then simmer and reduce a little.Add any herb that is available and you like(savory,marjoram are my preferences)add the gorgonzola ( a little goes a long way) and add some grated lemon peel.Also if you have the time and patience lemon pearls(that's what I call them) which are the individually enclosed lemon pieces within a section of lemon.Season to taste and add the cooked orrechietta.

Roasted garlic/Rapini : In eevo over a fairly low/medium heat saute some rapini (broccoli rabe) and portobello mushrooms until 50 % cooked turn up the heat and add some chicken stock (brown chicken stock if you have it) and only enough that when it has mostly reduced the rapini and mushrooms are
fully cooked.Add some garlic that has been roasted but only to a medium soft stage (still holds together well) Add some pear or cherry tomatoes that have been halfed or quartered and saute for a minute,then add about 10% by volume of the total recipe with a pureed tomato base ( I like san marzano whole tomatoes for this type of application) add a pasta,for this dish I like maltagliati (means poorly cut pasta in Italian),again add some parsley or herbs of your choice and grate/mandoline some ricotta salata over the pasta and of course don't forget to season as you go.Use some tomato water/juice if too dry when
near the end of the preparation.


If you find these instructions too vague and need actual recipes,I could format it.

 

[buckytom]

thanks foodaholic. they look really good. the gorgonzola one is on deck for next week. i'll be on vacation, and besides a backpacking trip, i plan to try a lot of new recipes.
actually, i like recipes written as you would speak to describe it. that's the way i usually write them down.
i've never heard of broccoli di rape, or broccoli rabe referred to as rapini. i guess, with the ini, it means very young and small broccoli heads.

oh, the citrus pearls that i think you were referring to are also known as the supreme of the fruit. i slice an orange every day for my son that way. he tends to choke on even the slightest pith or rind.