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Home made pasta sauce!

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wiggal | 18:27 Mon 03rd Nov 2008 | Food & Drink
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Hey guys,

Tonight I am going to attempt to make my own sauce for pasta, whoop!
Now I have a tin of chopped tomatoes as a start, and not sure what else to add!!

Did think about some onions and sliced peppers from the freezer but would that be ok?

Any ideas would be great ta as I want to make it really nice as its for my better half who is out in the rain laying a patio and always cooks me dinner!

Ta!
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yum sounds good, you could also add a splash of red wine? mushrooms or garlic?
Hi
A simple way for a good pasta sauce is just put any veg in like onion and pepper frozen or fresh. I put mushrooms in and sometimes a little bit of cheese just to make it a little different.
I like using garlic salt in my sauces its really handy to have.
Have you some onions and some tomato puree.

About 4 large onions for two people (but I promise it won't be strong and oniony).

chop the onions very finely and put in a saucepan with about 2 tablespoons of olive oil and some butter (to improve the taste). Put the lid on and leave over a very low heat for about half an hour. Check occasionally and stir and add a little water. The object is that the onions do not brown but just puree down. When the onions are very soft and a little more water, half a tube of tomato puree, black pepper, salt and some basil (if you like it). Stir it all together and simmer for about 10 minutes whilst you cook the pasta.

Stir the sauce into the pasta and serve (with grated cheese if you like).

I have used this recipe for years and it makes such a cheap meal. Nice with garlic bread!!
Question Author
Oh, we have garlic, but not sure about mushrooms which is a shame as my fella loves them!

Maybe some chilli from the spice rack I'm also thinking? Mine will be covered in a mountain of grated cheese anyway lol!

Oh, we do have a bit of left over red wine in a bottle in the kitchen, but it has been there a couple of weeks?

Add oregano dried, salt and black pepper, got any fresh basil ??, if not the oregano will suffice!!!
(I suppose you could use the tinned tomatoes but it wouldn't be as tasty as using the concentrated puree. I have added crispy fried diced bacon to the basic sauce - lovely!
this is making me v.hungry, im off to see what ive got for eating lol
Question Author
Oh lofty, I dont have either of those but I will definitely be getting some in the very near future and will try that recipe next!

I do have tins of sweetcorn, which is my fave veg lol!

So with the chopped tomatoes, do I just heat it on the hob i a saucepan and go from there with adding things?

I sound useless dont I lol!
Probably because I am but I'm really trying with making different things as my fella has done all the cooking for the last 4 n half years and its about time I learnt to do some things to make him nice food!
Not homemade but really special : Baked Spaghetti :
Cook a packet of spaghetti for 9 mins. Meanwhile open a jar of Dolmio sauce - tonight I have used the sauce with extra onion and garlic - add a teaspoon of oregano, a splash of Lea & Perrins, a dollop of english mustard and a teaspoon of chilli powder to sauce - add this to the cooked spag. Preheat oven to 200c put 1 third spag mix in ovenproof dish add a layer of sliced mature cheddar then more spag, then cheese, more spag and top with cheese - cover with foil put in oven for 30 mins, take foil off and stir around, stir every 10 mins for next 30 mins (in order to create crispy bits) YUM YUM :)
P.S. Just the perfect food to warm up a damp patio layer :P
Here's what I do:
Splash of olive oil
1 med onion-finely diced
1 red pepper-finely diced
1 large FAT clove of garlic-chopped finely and flattened with the side of a knife
2 tsp each Basil and Oregano
1/2 tsp Thyme
Pinch chillie flakes-if wanted
2 tins chopped tomatoes
1 Tbsp tomatoe puree or paste
1 Knorr veggie stock cube

In a medium saucepan, saute the onions and peppers until just starting to soften
Add the garlic,lower the heat and continue to saute so the garlic softens and releases its aroma...add the chillie flakes if using....DO NOT let the garlic colour.
Add the herbs and then the tinned tomatoes......break up the tomatoes with the back of your spoon. Bring gently to the boil and add the puree and stock cube.......lower the temp and let simmer for about 20 min.....if it thickens too much add a bit of water...or even better some red wine.

Forget the water....just add wine....makes for a richer tasting sauce-lol
Mash the tinned tomatoes well and put on quite a high heat to reduce down (improves the strength of the flavour). Remember to keep stirring it so it doesn't burn. Add black pepper and salt and your sliced peppers and onions. Loads of cheese stirred in will add to it.

Wiggal, that onion sauce recipe of mine does me proud. Have always had loads of compliments and it's so easy! Allow two onions per person. You can add some garlic as well if you like it.

Tomato puree is a great store cupboard ingredient and a supply of onions is essential. I'm now off to make a shepherds pie - yummy.

Carry on with the cooking!

Never use the concentrated puree as the basis for the sauce......it is meant to thicken and intensify the flavour. On its own it is too sharp. If you want...add a pinch of sugar to the sauce.....it brings out the tomatoe-y taste...especially if you use fresh tomatoes.
Question Author
Just been told that his 2 mates may also be here for food so I dont want to cook any more :-(
I made them lasagne last Sunday night, but cooking something for the first time, I dont want to risk on them in case it is manky!
So if they are wanting food, it looks like pizza takeaway and pasta tomorrow!
:-(
This is a standard around our house for a quick but satisfying supper:

1 1/2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 onion, chopped
3 garlic cloves, finely chopped
2 tomatoes, chopped
1 can (6 ounces) Tomato Paste
1 (15 ounce) can cannellini beans
2 cups penne pasta
salt, oregano, basil, tarragonand black pepper to taste
:
DIRECTIONS
In a medium size saucepan heat the olive oil. Saute onion and garlic until tender. Stir in tomatoes, tomato paste salt and herbs and entire can of beans. Let simmer for 10 minutes.
Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Add penne pasta and cook for 8 to 10 minutes or until al dente; drain.
Mix pasta with bean mixture and salt as desired...
-- answer removed --
I add olives to my sauce!!

And sometimes anchovies!
Try this. It's relatively simple but worth it.

2 tablespoons olive oil
1 medium onion finely chopped
1 680g jar of passatta (Tesco does do a great one called Passatta di Pommodoro)
1 teaspoon dried thyme
1 teaspoon dried oregano
150ml dry white wine (preferably Italian and preferably the same as the wine you'll be drinking with the meal)
1 tablespoon white wine vinegar
1/2 tablespoon sugar
Plenty of salt and freshly ground black pepper

Put the olive oil in a pan and warm gently. Add the finely chopped onion, thyme, oregano, salt and pepper and cook gently for about ten minutes until the onions are soft and transluscent and NOT browned.

Add the wine and increase the heat until the wine has reduced by 2/3rds and is syrupy. Add the whit wine vinegar and again reduce to 2/3rds.

Add the passatta and the sugar and reduce the heat to a VERY gentle simmer. Cook for two hours until the texture has gone thick.

This is great with pasta dishes and can also be used as the tomato sauce in Lasagne or Canneloni.
I do a chicken dish with a tomatoe sauce with olives and anchovy......yummmm
Pastafreak, I actually add a teaspoon of sugar to my sauce - thanks for reminding me.

Never say never Pasta!! My recipe is surprisingly good and came from a 'Country Kitchen' cookbook some 25 or so years ago. The basis of my sauce is onions though not tomato puree.

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