Traditional Italian American Pasta Sauce Recipes

GREAT GRANDMA'S PASTA SAUCE

Steps:

• In a large stockpot, saute garlic until soft and fragrant in 2 tbsp. of olive oil, about 2 minutes.
• Throw your meat in with the garlic and brown until meat has been thoroughly cooked through, about 5 minutes. Season with salt and pepper.
• Pour in the tomato paste, tomato puree, and seasoning, including the fresh basil and sugar. Stir to mix well. With the 6 oz. can from the tomato paste, fill that with water and pour it in the stockpot as well.
• Let mixture simmer, uncovered, for 2 or more hours (the longer the better, but minimum 2 hours), stirring occasionally.
• Serve hot over fresh pasta.

AUTHENTIC (QUICK) ITALIAN TOMATO SAUCE FOR PASTA

Steps:

• Pour the oil into a large saute pan (not a deep pot) over medium high heat. Crush the garlic and add it to the oil (if you want a spicy sauce, you can add some hot pepper, fresh or flakes, at this point). Saute the garlic until it just starts to brown, then add the parsley.
• Turn the heat up to high. Now add the tomatoes, and quickly cover with the lid for about 30 seconds, until the squirting subsides. Stir with a wooden spoon and lower the heat a little. It is important that this sauce is cooked at a fast simmer, as it is cooked briefly.
• Add the salt and continue to simmer at a fast pace, and stir often.
• The sauce will thicken quickly, so do not overcook it, and have it become too thick; about 5 to 7 minutes should be sufficient.
• Taste the sauce, if it doesn't taste delicious, it probably just needs a little more salt. Turn off the heat and add the fresh basil (I tear mine into pieces). Also, unless absolutely necessary, do not wash your basil. Wipe it with a damp paper towel instead, so the water doesn't ruin the flavor and aroma.
• Add sauce to the drained pasta (save some pasta water to add back into the pasta in case it's too dry), and enjoy immediately with some freshly grated authentic Parmigiano Reggiano cheese and/or pepper.
• Also, if you've been plating pasta in a bowl, then topping it with sauce, this is American-style. If you want to serve it the way they do in Italy, mix the sauce in and then plate it.

OLD WORLD ITALIAN SPAGHETTI SAUCE

Steps:

• In a large stockpot on low-med heat add your olive oil and saute your onions for about 4 minutes,then add your crushed garlic,cook for 2 minutes longer. Then add your water,and tomato products. Be sure to mix everything very well.Add in your spices,and cheese. cook for 2 1/2 hours covered.Then add in your wine, and cook 30 minutes longer. Sauce will be thin on first day.Also if you use meat it will alter thickness.The second day this turns into a nice thick sauce.

ITALIAN PASTA SAUCE

Steps:

• Heat olive oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Cook and stir onion and garlic in hot oil until the onion is translucent, 5 to 7 minutes.
• Sit tomato sauce, diced tomatoes, wine, tomato paste, chicken bouillon granules, basil, Italian seasoning, salt, and pepper with the onion mixture. Bring the mixture to a boil, reduce heat to low, and cook at a simmer, stirring frequently, for 1 hour.

ITALIAN PASTA SAUCE

Steps:

• In a Dutch oven or soup kettle, cook beef in 2 batches over medium heat until no longer pink; drain and set aside. Cook sausage over medium heat until no longer pink; drain and set aside. In the same pan, saute onion, celery and garlic in oil until vegetables are tender. , Return the beef and sausage to the pan. Add the next 9 ingredients, including allspice if desired, and bring to a boil. Reduce heat; cover and simmer until sauce reaches desired thickness, stirring occasionally, 2-3 hours. Serve over pasta.Freeze option: Freeze cooled sauce in freezer containers. To use, partially thaw in refrigerator overnight. Heat through in a saucepan, stirring occasionally. Add a little broth or water if necessary.

AUTHENTIC ITALIAN AMERICAN MARINARA SAUCE/ RED GRAVY

Steps:

• Rough chop onion and garlic.
• Heat up a large pan on medium heat.
• Pour in all of olive oil.
• Dump in onion and sauté until soft.
• Add garlic, bay leaf, oregano, salt and pepper.
• Stir all together into a mess and continue to cook, if it seems to hot, turn down the heat, you don't want to burn anything.
• Once everything is well mixed and cooked, turn up the heat for about 1 minute. I tell you to do this as you are about to add the balsamic vinegar to "deglaze" and you will want the pan hot.
• Add balsamic, stir quickly while hot steam rises. the vapors should make you eyes water, and nose run, so be careful to remain hygienic. when vapors stop remove from heat.
• Open all the cans of crushed tomato.
• Stir in one can at a time with wooden spoon or rubber spatula.
• Once all cans are in, stir well again so you don't see any oil on the top of sauce. return to heat. Cook on low heat uncovered, stirring whenever you walk into the kitchen for some other reason. You don't need to stir it every hour, but do it whenever you get around to it. although you do need to stir it from time to time.
• Cook for at least five hours. If you want to do this while you go to work, you can transfer everything to a crock pot, but you must start in a big metal pot. Your choice.
• Serve over your favorite pasta, or use to cook my meatball recipe, which is highly recommended ( look at the reviews). doing my meatballs is particularly easy if you have transferred gravy to a crock pot, but if you do you may need to remove some sauce to fit the balls in the sauce.
• Freeze left over sauce, just pour cooled sauce in zip-lock bags and throw in freezer.

TRADITIONAL ITALIAN SAUCE

Steps:

• In a large saucepan, heat 1/4 cup oil over medium heat. Add onion, pancetta, pressed garlic, and salt; saute; 2 minutes. Stir in pureed tomatoes, tomato puree, and basil. Bring to a simmer, and cook for 45 minutes. Remove and discard onion halves.
• Place beef cutlets on work surface. Sprinkle each piece with 2 teaspoons olive oil, 1 clove finely chopped garlic, 1 teaspoon parsley, and 1 teaspoon cheese. Season with salt and pepper. Roll beef, and tie with kitchen twine.
• Heat remaining 1/4 cup oil in a large cast-iron skillet over medium heat. Add cracked garlic, and cook for 2 minutes. Place rolled beef, sausage, and spare ribs in skillet and cook until golden brown, 8 to 10 minutes. Add wine, and cook for 2 minutes. Remove browned meat from pan, and add to sauce along with meatballs.
• Add 2 cups water, and return to a simmer. Cook, stirring frequently, over medium heat for 1 hour and 15 minutes.
• Just before sauce is finished bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add pasta, and cook until al dente, following package instructions. Drain, and transfer to a large serving platter. Stir sauce to combine, and ladle sauce over pasta. Serve meats on a separate platter. Sprinkle cheese over pasta and meats.