So fun to read about a dinner I was at!

Great tips, especially the first one – using more garlic and  onion than you think you need. In fact, I think that is best with most savory dishes. I think I’ll hang it up on my fridge.

Great post, all good advice As the weather gets cooler, pasta sauce tops the list of stove simmering suppers, YUM!

There is no such thing as too much onion and garlic imho! I would use the whole can because, well there are 10 of us and what in the world would I do with the leftovers?? I have never seen red pepper flakes in a pasta sauce – I can’t wait to try it!

This is good common sense information.  It’s amazing how such a simple dish can be over-looked when it comes to preparation….I love the idea of putting carrots in it!

When making large quantities of pasta sauce for canning, etc, we cut up all the veggies, drizzle with olive oil and a little balsamic, and then roast in the oven for 30 minutes or so.  Then we cook everything on the stove and blend up as necessary to get the thickness and texture we are looking for.  It has turned out great year after year. 

Something I learned last year from my Italian friend (her grandmother shared this with her) is adding a cup of red wine to the sauce.

When your onion/garlic saute is almost there, add two or three anchovies (I prefer the ones preserved in salt) and break them up into the saute.  The anchovies will disappear into the sauce and will  provide a salty/umami flavor.  I agree with the addition of some red wine, and an Italian grandmother taught me to add grape jelly (instead of sugar) if the sauce needs sweetening.  

I also make  quick fresh tomato sauce when I have plenty of tomatoes, like now. I add basil and only cook in until the tomatoes are falling apart. Serve with broccoli or asparagus (cooked or steamed) and parmesan cheese. Makes a quick healthy dinner.

Correction: I serve this sauce on pasta, specially the light ones, like thin spaghetti or linguine.
I have a request for all enthusiastic cooks…I once had a recipe for a tomato tart which I can’t find now that I have tomatoes and want to use them. It includes cheese which is great with tomatoes.
Thanks.

My sauce is based on one my father made.  The story goes he was home sick from work one day and saw Frankie Valley make this sauce on some talk show and got inspired.  He would start it on Thursday to serve on Saturday, because he said it needed alot of cooking and rest time.  He also used alot of meat.  My version has less meat, more veggies, but I still use red wine.  And I toss in pesto, which covers the “Did I use enough garlic” question.  Usually a half cup per stock pot.

I am in love with roasted tomato sauce: slice toms in half (romas are best), put cut side down in glass casserole dish. Sprinkle heartily with olive oil, salt, onions and garlic. Roast at 400F for 45mins – 1 hour. So sweet and rich you won’t need the sugar.

I completely agree regarding the sweet aspect of The Perfect Sauce!  Sometimes, when I don’t have white sugar on hand, I put in some agave syrup after the onions/garlic are midway done caramelizing and then dump the rest of the veggies (plus a bit more onions so you can see them) and it turns out perfect!

I use store bought pizza dough, thin crust, which I let cook in the oven for 5 minutes.  by this point I will have sliced my tomatoes thinly and drained them of their seed and juice in a colander, lightly salted.  Then put mascarpone (preferably gorgonzola mascarpone) in a pile in the middle of the pie and then put the tomato rounds in concentric circles on top and around the cheese.  Sprinkle with thyme, oregano, basil, or all of the above.  Cook for 15 minutes.  Done.  Amazing.

This sounds like a fun sauce, but I would think that caramelized onions and carrots for the sweetness. Putting sugar into a pasta sauce scares me.  Also, if we’re talking bolognese sauce – it’s a white wine based sauce.  But then maybe we’re not.  Improvising is the best way to find the food combinations you love.  Thanks M for another fun read.

I also use a yellow or orange pepper as they are sweeter and really help with killing the acidity of the tomatoes. 

My tip is to use a non-reactive pan (stainless or enamel here) & never use aluminum. Aluminum will definitely spoil the taste of even the best sauce.

& I alomst always put carrots in mine as well – along / fresh Bay leaves from my tree = )

I seriously suck at sauce. I’ve been asked by my family to stop trying and just buy jarred sauce. I’m going to try one last time and use your recipe and recommendations! I shall report back.

Add a touch of allspice.

Ok, that’s pretty bad, but you are not a lost cause. Don’t let your family drive you to RAGU!!! This post was for you Evin. I am on (email) call throughout the cooking process should you need emergency assistance…

I would also add that if you cook the sauce in a cast iron pan, do not let it sit in the pan once it’s done cooking else it will take some of the seasoning off and can even impart a slight iron taste into the food (the acidic tomatoes do this). Transfer it either to a stainless steel pot or into a tupperware container.

Next time you make this, pls invite me over ….

Great tip. I have never gone the roasted tomato route, but it would for sure add sweetness!

Thank you, thank you, THANK YOU for these tips!! Often I find my sauce ‘lacking’ and am never sure what it needs…. Now I have something to follow as a guideline and refer to as I am making the sauce. Thanks for the informative post, I’m printing this one out and taping it to the inside of my cabinet door next to my stove!!

Hadn’t thought about tossing pesto in but what a great idea … I have some in my fridge I need to use up, so it’s going into the next batch of sauce …

personally, i prefer a more saucey sauce….what better use for garlic bread?! and i still like chunks! but you wanna hear something weird? i don’t usually cook with onions! i’m not sure why…maybe the hassle of the tears…? weird, huh? i’ve started using shallots more, i’m the only veggie that i cook for, so they’re a bit easier to use. but always always ALWAYS garlic! and lots of it!
i use canned tomatoes and/or sauce but ALWAYS doctor it up by adding garlic and more spices like oregano and basil. i’ve never had complaints that it tasted fake…hmmmm.

I like to add some sauteed Swiss Chard to my sauce… it’s a great way to sneak in some extra veggies, and it beefs up the sauce!

I add a dash of clove to an all veggie sauce. A little goes a LONG way so start with less than a pinch of powdered or crush one whole clove.

I love caramelized onions so will definitely try this but I thought caramelized garlic would turn bitter??

Yes! These are almost the exact rules I learned from my father on how to make sauce. I always tell people to add more garlic and onion than they think they need – works every time. I usually don’t add sugar but will try that next time. And we’re all about the whole san marzano tomatoes in my family.

I wouldn’t say I really caramelize the garlic (in fact the onions are one step shy of caramelized), I just sautee the garlic so its flavor is release. Yes,I agree, overly caramelized garlic would not be ideal.

Not only spoil the taste, but –  Many moons ago, I made a spaghetti sauce.  Being lazy, I just stuck the extra in the fridge in its (cheap aluminum) sauce pan.  Forgot about it for a week.  When I dug it out, the bottom of the pan was eaten thru and was actually leaking thru the corrosion holes.  Of course, the sauce was ruined.  But I’ve never forgotten looking at the bottom of this aluminum sauce pan, dripping black sauce out the bottom.  No doubt irrational, but I’ve never bought aluminum cookware since.

Yes!  My mom passed down her recipe to me, and she said the secret was 1/4 teaspoon of cloves per batch, and no oregano.  I could e-mail it, if anyone’s interested.  An old family recipe she got from a spaghetti box in the 50′s : )

I must disagree with the tomato paste, tho.  I love extra paste.  The main difference I have with mom’s recipe – not enough tomato paste.  Extra paste not only makes the sauce more tomatoey tasting, but makes it less runny and watery.

Completely agree on the carmelizing onions, tho.  For me, the more onions the better.

Hey.  Here’s what I do with jarred sauce.  Ya know, everyone’s got to have some quick and dirty dinner recipes to get by.  First off, not Ragu.  Use Classico, or the Target one (I forget the kind of Italian name).

Sautee one medium onion, 1/2 small green pepper, 1/2 lb lean ground beef, sliced mushrooms, lots of garlic (non-expired garlic powder approved, as well as jarred (not cans) sliced mushrooms – after all, this is quick and pretty good, not gourmet).  Mix in the sauce.  Put fresh grated parmesan on top.  Eat.

Chopping and grating can be done ahead of time.  I used to do it in the morning before work, waiting to drive the kids to school, and put everything in a covered bowl.

Interesting that you mention the cloves – when I showed this post to my Dad (who I credit with this recipe) he said, “Where’s the nutmeg?!” He claims he always added (and still does) nutmeg to his pasta sauce. So when I made it again 2 days ago I did add a tiny shake and it was a nice touch.

Most people do not realize sugar is a key ingredient to use at the end . If you use dry spices always use a a couple Bay Leaves they help extract the flavors and extend your cooking time.