Homemade pasta sauce

[knowabit]

I use 4 tins plum tomatoes, add to chopped onions and garlic cooked in lots of olive oil, add 2 tins of water and then let simmer for about 6 hours to reduce and thicken. I then add chillies if i want it hot. This is the way an Italian told me to make it. Is there a btter way or some improvements i could make??

[andrea81]

Thats seems like a lot of sauce, so I take it you are cooking for a lot.

Well I'll tell you what I do, then you can double/trebble the quantity etc...

1) sweat 1 or 2 onions in light olive oil.
2) add Chopped garlic, but not cook too much (or it will go bitter)
3) I sometimes add 1 or 2 chopped green chilli (depends on my mood)
4) I add one or 2 tins of Tomatos (depends on how much onion I have0
5) I leave this simmer for a bit and add salt and sugar to get rid of acidic flavour.
6) I sometimes add tomato puree if it isn't thick enough.
7) I add about a tsp of paprica
8) Either a small handful of basil, or a large handful of spinach.

I constantly taste and have never stuck to same quantity every time! I'm not a reciepy girl!

[dave123456]

To make the sauce richer, try using some red wine instead of water. And however much garlic you use, add more.
Same applies to basil.

[~max~]

I was told that if you roast the toms in oilve oil and garlic before making the actual sauce, it's much better, but I've never tried it....Does anyone know?

Knowabit, I'm pretty sure that's the way my Italian friends did it when I went to visit. The whole family worked at it for a whole day, making bottles and bottles of the sauce! They did use fresh tomatoes though, boiled quickly so they peal easily. They were sort of oblong shaped ones.

[shivvy]

I use a recipe for Antonio Carluccios ragu sauce and I love it:
Serves 4
25g (1oz) butter
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 medium-sized onion, chopped
250g (9oz) minced beef
250g (9oz) minced pork
6 tablespoons white wine
1kg (2lb) polpa di pomodoro (tomato pulp)
1 teaspoon concentrated tomato pur�e
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
Method
Heat the oil and butter in a pan and fry the chopped onion. Then add the meat and fry until golden brown. Stir in the wine, tomato pulp and tomato pur�e. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Cover with a lid and leave to simmer for about 2 hours stirring from time to time.

Now I'm hungry!

[doglady]

They all sound delicious! I'm off to stock up on onions and tomatoes right now!!