Simple Traditional Sugo Pasta Sauce Recipes

SUGO ROSSO (RED SAUCE)

Steps:

• Bring a pot of water to a boil. Cook the tomatoes in boiling water until the skin begins to split, about 1 minute. Immediately remove the tomatoes and plunge into ice water for several minutes to stop the cooking process. Remove the tomatoes from the ice water; remove and discard the tomato skins. Cut the tomatoes into chunks. Blend the tomatoes in a food processor until smooth.
• Heat the oil in a saucepan over medium heat; warm the crushed garlic in the oil until fragrant, being careful not to brown, 1 to 2 minutes. Add the blended tomatoes and salt; bring the mixture to a simmer and cook until the sauce thickens, 10 to 15 minutes. Remove the sauce from the heat and stir the basil through the sauce. Allow the sauce to sit for a few minutes to allow the flavor from the basil to blend into the sauce.

SUGO DI POMODORO (AUTHENTIC ITALIAN TOMATO SAUCE)

Steps:

• Heat oil in a saucepan over low heat. Add onion and garlic. Cook and stir until soft and translucent, about 5 minutes. Add passata, basil, and salt. Cover and simmer over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until tomato sauce has thickened, about 20 minutes. Remove garlic halves before serving.

AUTHENTIC BOLOGNESE SAUCE (SUGO ALLA BOLOGNESE)

Steps:

• Place the chopped onions, carrots, celery, and garlic clove in a food processor. Pulse the motor until the vegetables are finely chopped.
• Heat the olive oil in a large, heavy saucepan set over medium heat. Add the chopped vegetables and chopped bacon (or pancetta, which is an Italian bacon). Stir in the salt, pepper, basil, oregano, and thyme. Cook, stirring occasionally, until vegetables are softened, about 5 minutes.
• Add the ground veal (or beef) to the pot with the vegetables. Cook over medium-high heat, breaking up the meat with a wooden spoon, until the meat is no longer pink, about 6 minutes.
• Stir in the wine, tomato paste, crushed tomatoes, and the milk (or cream). Add the pinch of ground nutmeg.
• Reduce the heat to low and simmer gently, stirring occasionally, for 1 1/2 hours.
• Serve over spaghetti, cooked al dente, and pass the grated Parmesan cheese.
• Mangia!

SARDINIAN SUGO

Steps:

• Bring a large pot of water to a boil over medium heat. For dry pasta, cook to al dente, for fresh, wait until sugo is ready before you cook the pasta as it only takes 2 to 3 minutes. Salt the boiling water liberally before cooking either form of pasta.
• Heat the stock and saffron over medium heat in a sauce pot and reduce by about half, about 15 minutes.
• While the stock infuses and water comes to boil, heat a large deep skillet with extra-virgin olive oil, a couple turns of the pan, over medium heat. Add the fennel seeds and toast for 1 minute. Add the meat, raise the heat to medium-high and season the meat with salt and pepper, to taste. Stir in the sage, red pepper flakes and paprika. When the meat is brown, add the garlic and the onions and cook together a few minutes more to soften the onions. Add tomatoes and crush, then bring the sauce to a bubble, reduce the heat and simmer until the sauce thickens, about 15 minutes. Stir in a few leaves of torn basil.
• When the pasta of choice is ready, add the infused stock to the sauce. Toss in the drained pasta and serve in shallow bowls with crusty bread and lots of pecorino cheese.

ORECCHIETTE WITH PULLED-PORK SUGO

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 325°F with rack in middle.
• Pat pork dry and sprinkle with 3/4 teaspoon salt. Roast in a small flameproof roasting pan tightly covered with foil, covered, 2 hours. Uncover and continue roasting until some of the meat begins to pull apart easily, 1 to 2 hours more. Transfer pork to a cutting board and cool slightly. Pull pork into small pieces and coarsely chop.
• Cook orecchiette in a large pot of boiling salted water (2 tablespoons salt for 6 quarts water) 8 minutes (pasta will not be fully cooked). Reserving 2 cups pasta-cooking liquid, drain pasta in a colander.
• Pour off all but 3 tablespoon fat from roasting pan and place pan over medium-high heat. Add onion, celery, and 1/2 teaspoon each of salt and pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, until softened, about 8 to 10 minutes. Add garlic and oregano and cook, stirring, 3 minutes. Add tomato paste and cook, stirring, 3 minutes. Stir in wine, broth, beans, vinegar, and pork. Transfer to pasta pot and simmer uncovered for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add 1 cup reserved cooking liquid and bring to a simmer, then add orecchiette and cook, stirring occasionally, until al dente. Remove from heat and stir in cheese and olive oil. Season with salt and pepper and thin sauce with additional cooking liquid if necessary. Serve with additional cheese.