Spaghetti sauce

[Swall]

What's is your favorite homemade spaghetti sauce recipe?

[Bada Bing]

I actually have only one hard-and-fast rule when it comes to red sauces: no white shirts allowed at any stage of preparation or consumption.

[Nunzio]

Here's a simple dish that is delicious.
http://www.nytimes.com/recipes/6081/S...

[Gio]

We made that for dinner last night. Didn't need a recipe, though, since I've been eating it all my life. Or so it seems. My mother cooked aglio olio exactly like that recipe, and so I suppose did her mother. It's a quick and easy and very tasty macaroni dish!

[coll]

What, no toasted breadcrumbs on top?

[Gio]

No... actually we rarely do that...

[nonnoscokie]

I agree with coll below, it does involve bones; however, with the other ingredients less is definitely more. You do not need any fancy stuff (some parsley from grandpa's garden works great and gives the sauce a little extra love). My family immigrated here from Italy less than 50 years ago, grandpa came as a young man, and our family sauce has less than 10 ingredients including salt, pepper and a little water and it is famous among our family, friends and everyone that comes in contact with it. So stick with what works, tomatoes (duh), a cheaper cut of meat with bones, of course, add a little love, and some romano cheese doesn't hurt either, and cook it within an inch of its life! Sorprendente!!

[coll]

First off, involves bones of some type. Then cooks four or five hours. We can go on from there, if need be.

[Kalivs]

Pancetta, onions, carrots, celery
Muir Glenn whole tomatoes broken up by hand,
Garlic
40 mins of simmering
Add butter & flat leaf parsley to finish

[Bada Bing]

I think some general distinctions need to apply before people can be helpful (as opposed to merely interesting) to you. Some sauces are quick and fresh (these are usually the simplest and less protein-based). Others require 40-60 minutes simmering (these types often include sausages, tomato pastes, onions, etc.) Then there are the all-day sauces (East coasters speak of "gravy," a word I cannot get used to) which involves many hours of melding multiple meat flavors, bones, ribs, etc.

But you ask about my favorite: for a quick sauce (15 minutes) I just use tomatoes (fresh and peeled or canned whole), herbs (fresh or dried), good olive oil, sliced garlic, a serrano or other chile sliced lengthwise for heat, NO onions (because the time is too short), a splash of fish sauce (or actual anchovy). Shaved parm helps a lot after for added oomph.

Given a bit more time, I will briefly brown some hot Italian sausages, cut them into big chunks, and then let them finish simmering in the sauce.

[PHREDDY]

Actually Spaghetti in Italy referrs to what we would call pasta.

[Bada Bing]

I didn't seem to know that?

(Or perhaps I took too quickly for granted that the last step would be understood as sauce and sausages be mixed with pasta?)

[PHREDDY]

BBG....that is what this site is all about....we learn from eachother....and have I had my eyes opened to many things, I was not aware of!

[Bada Bing]

I meant to say that I know very well what actual spaghetti is and was taking it as understood. But, whatever. Where sauce ideas are traded, all is well.

[boyzoma]

You got that right PHREDDY. I have learned a TON of stuff here and lots of new recipes as well. Some things I have made one way, someone else makes another (i.e. my response on the chicken marsala thread). I use cream, someone else doesn't. It's not wrong, just different. And I've made a ton of new stuff that I had never made before, as well as techniques.

[Bada Bing]

Ahem. Cream in marsala? All wrong. (Just kidding--I share your sensibility, but couldn't resist....)

[PHREDDY]

BB...if you get a chance come visit us all on WFD...we're up to # 200 ...but I think you have been there...

My favorite pasta sauce is...simply, ham, white wine, cream and Assiago cheese...warm it all up and toss in a pasta like Tortolini...

[PHREDDY]

1+......no doubt!

[PHREDDY]

Bona Pasqua!

[c oliver]

I'm with you. "Sauce" to me can be pretty much anything - guess it needs to have liquid to be "sauce" - for me that can be oo. And the OP said "spaghetti" but I made the assumption of "pasta." I too can't get my brain around the term "gravy" but understand what they mean and don't think that "spaghetti sauce" means it needs to be a particular sauce or a particular pasta.

[PHREDDY]

In the summer time when I have tomatoes fresh from the garden:

EVOO
3 or 4 fresh tomatoes, chopped
fresh basil
1/2 lb fresh buffalo mozarella
s&p
1 lb of Tagatelle cooked aldente
Parm/Reg shaved...optional

Cook the pasta , and save 1/2 cup of the pasta water. Add about 4 tbs of EVOO to a warm skillet, add tomatoes and cook for about 4 minutes, add s&p to taste, add in pasta water, bring to a boil, as it boils add back in pasta and cook for no more than 1 minute, cut mozarella in 1/2 chunks, mix in with pasta and serve...
Garnish with basil. (you can also add some shaved with a vegetable peeler of parm/reg...if it is of real good quality!)

[boyzoma]

Diced tomatoes, Italian tomatoes, tomato sauce, diced green/red/yellow/orange peppers, diced onion, mushrooms, sliced olives, lean ground beef, Italian ground sausage, basil, garlic, oregano.

[ItalianNana]

That's my MIL's recipe! With one tiny addition from her Spanish Basque mother. One tsp sweet chili powder. No one ever picks out a chili flavor but it adds another layer of flavor!

[boyzoma]

I may have to try that next time. Sounds like a winner! Thanks for the tip.

[pinehurst]

I just found this post. This looks delicious. I would have to omit the peppers (which no longer like me). My dad would crush kalamata olives whenever we had them and add them to his sauce.

[bettac]

SICILIANA all the way. make sure you melt some anchovies first in the oil, then add onion, garlic and eggplant. let eggplant cook a lotttt so it gets really tender. add tomato, starchy pasta water and let it simmer for a while. add capers and done.

[mudcat]

Butter, extra virgin olive oil, minced garlic. chopped flat leaf parsley and sometimes a few minced anchovies thrown in, fresh cracked pepper or red pepper flakes and sea salt and shaved Parmesan

[Njchicaa]

Chopped garlic, fresh basil and parsley, salt/pepper, 2-3 cans of chunky crushed tomatoes. Maybe a splash of red wine if its open.

[Gio]

olive oil
chopped garlic
peperoncino
box of Pomi chopped tomatoes
Kosher salt & freshly ground black pepper
basil

[c oliver]

Ooh, never thought of peperoncino! That sounds super.

To OP, "spaghetti sauce" is SUCH a broad description. There must be 1000s of toppings for pasta.

[Val]

I *too* love those Pomi tomatoes...!!! awesome!

[tim irvine]

My fave requires little bits of leftover roast and/or chops, pork and beef. A little salty ham would be good, too. I mince them. Sauté a good bit of minced carrot, celery, and onion in olive oil. Add minced garlic at the end. Add the meat, a small can of tomato paste and a small can of tomato sauce. I usually have Contadina or S & W. add a good splash of some bright white wine. Add plenty of ground black pepper, toasted grated nutmeg, toasted ground fennel seed. Simmer a bit. Add a little cream near the end. Toss pasta and sauce in a bowl.. Top with Romano.

[cleopatra999]

for a traditional Bolongese meat based sauce I do pancetta, ground pork and beef. Red wine, tomato paste, and mirepoix, bay leaf. Simmer, add more wine or water if needed.

For more saucy I use canned Italian tomatoes instead.

For simple sauce I like Marcella Hazan's Tomato sauce with onion and butter.