Red Sauce Greek Recipes

KEFTEDES WITH RED SAUCE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Place bread crumbs on cookie sheet and place in oven on center rack. Toss bread crumbs every couple of minutes, for about 5 to 7 minutes. Set aside to cool. Heat 1 tablespoon of the olive oil in a saute pan over medium-low heat. Add onions, cumin, and season with salt and pepper. Saute onions until transparent, stirring occasionally about 5 to 7 minutes. Remove from heat, set aside and cool. Place sliced bread in a bowl and add milk to cover. Soak until bread becomes soft, pressing on bread to absorb liquid. Drain excess milk. In a mixing bowl, combine ground meats and Sauteed onion with garlic, parsley, egg and milk-soaked bread. Work mixture with your hands until ingredients are well combined. Add toasted bread crumbs a bit at a time, thoroughly mixing with each addition. The meat mixutre should be moist to the touch, but not wet. Form meat into small balls about 1-inch in diameter. Set a large, heavy bottomed saute pan over medium heat and add the remaining 3 tablespoons of olive oil. Heat until oil is hot, but not smoking. Cook meatballs, turning, until all sides are browned, about 5 minutes. Move meatballs from heat and drain on paper towels.;
• Place a sauce pot over low heat and add olive oil to warm. Add onions and saute, stirring, until translucent, about 8 to 10 minutes. Add garlic and cook for 1 minute. Add cumin and oregano and stir to combine. Season with salt and pepper and add red wine. Reduce liquid by half. Crush tomatoes with your hands and add to sauce along with tomato juice. Bring sauce to a boil, then reduce heat to a simmer. Skim sauce to remove any impurities from the top. Add chicken stock, stir to combine, and add meatballs. Cook 25 to 30 minutes, uncovered.
• To serve, plate 4 meatballs per person, sprinkled with additional cumin, fresh parsley and drizzle with extra virgin olive oil.

CLASSIC RED SAUCE

Steps:

• Puree the tomatoes to a smooth, creamy consistency in a food processor or with an immersion blender. (If you like a more country feel, you can wait and break them up in the pan later with a wooden spoon.)
• Heat the olive oil over medium-high heat in a large saucepan. When hot, add the onion and saute 5 to 6 minutes, or until soft. Add the garlic and cook 2 to 3 minutes, until you see the color start changing. If you'd like to make the sauce spicy, add the red pepper flakes.
• Add the tomatoes and season with salt and pepper to taste. Reduce the heat to medium low and simmer about 30 minutes. (If you did not puree the tomatoes, use a wooden spoon to break them into pieces while they cook.) Strive for balance in the consistency of the sauce: It has to be fluid, but it should not look overly wet. Add the basil and remove from the heat. Toss with just-cooked pasta.

RED SNAPPER WITH ATHENIAN SAUCE

Steps:

• Combine green bell pepper, tomato, onion, olive oil, olives, lemon juice, green onion, capers, garlic, sugar, salt, and pepper in a heavy pan over medium-high heat. Saute until all ingredients are slightly wilted, 5 to 10 minutes. Remove from heat and keep warm.
• Heat olive oil in a heavy pan over medium heat. Add snapper fillets to hot oil. Sprinkle Greek seasoning on top and cook for 2 to 3 minutes. Turn fish over and cook on the other side for 2 more minutes. Turn fish back to the original side and finish cooking until fish is tender and flakes easily with a fork, another 1 to 2 minutes.
• Pour still-hot Athenian sauce over fish just before serving. Sprinkle about 2 ounces feta cheese and 1 tablespoon of parsley over each portion.

GREEK TOMATO SAUCE

Steps:

• Heat a large non-stick frying pan and add the olive oil.
• Sauté the onion and garlic until clear.
• Add the tomatoes, parsley and oregano.
• Simmer, covered, until the tomatoes are very tender, about 25 minutes.
• Add the remaining ingredients and cook an additional 20 minutes.
• The sauce will keep in the refrigerator for several days.

GREEK MEAT SAUCE (KIMA)

Steps:

• Fry onion and garlic gently in oil or butter until onion is transparent.
• Increase heat and add ground meat.
• Cook over high heat, stirring frequently, until juices evaporate and meat begins to brown.
• Lower heat, and add remaining ingredients, seasoning to taste.
• Cover and simmer gently for 30 minutes.
• Remove bay leaf and cloves before serving.

BASIC RED SAUCE

Steps:

• Heat oil in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Cook onion and garlic, stirring occasionally, until tender, about 5 minutes. Stir in tomato paste.
• Add pureed tomatoes, basil, oregano, red-pepper flakes, and 1/2 teaspoon salt. Season with pepper, and bring to a simmer. Reduce heat, and gently simmer, stirring occasionally, until sauce is thick, 25 to 30 minutes.

HOMEMADE ITALIAN RED SAUCE

Steps:

• Heat olive oil in a large saucepan over medium-high heat. Saute onion and garlic in hot oil until onion is translucent, 5 to 7 minutes.
• Reduce heat to medium-low. Add water, crushed tomatoes, tomato paste, basil, baking soda, and sugar; season with salt and pepper. Stir mixture, bring to a simmer, and cook until the sauce is thickened, about 2 hours.