Ginas Basic Spaghetti Sauce Recipes

GINA'S SPAGHETTI SAUCE

Steps:

• 1. Brown meat with onion, pepper and garlic. Drain excess fat.
• 2. In large pot, add all ingredients, except mushrooms. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer for 2 to 4 hours, making sure to stir occasionally. Don't let it stick!
• 3. About 10 minutes before serving, add mushrooms.
• 4. This makes about 2 1/2 quarts of sauce.

GRANDMA MAGGIO'S SPAGHETTI SAUCE

Steps:

• Heat olive oil in a large saucepan over medium-low heat, and cook and stir the onion and garlic until translucent but not browned, 6 to 7 minutes. Stir in the mushrooms and basil, and cook and stir until the basil is wilted and the mushrooms are cooked through and have given up their juices, about 10 minutes.
• Pour in the whole peeled tomatoes, and bring the mixture to a boil, stirring and chopping the tomatoes into pieces with a spoon. Pour in the tomato sauce and stir, crushing any large pieces of tomato left, and bring to a simmer. Let the sauce simmer until slightly thickened and bubbling, stirring occasionally, about 15 minutes.
• Stir the tomato paste into the sauce, and fill the empty tomato paste can with Merlot wine, stirring to dissolve any remaining tomato paste in the can. Pour the Merlot wine into the sauce, and stir well to combine. Bring the sauce back to a simmer, and stir in the salt, pepper, dried oregano, and sugar. Let the sauce simmer until the seasonings are blended and the sauce is heated through, about 3 more minutes.

SPAGHETTI WITH GARLIC, OLIVE OIL AND RED PEPPER FLAKES

Steps:

• Bring 6 quarts of salted water to a boil in a large pot. Add the pasta and cook until al dente, 6 to 8 minutes. Drain the pasta in a colander, reserving 2 tablespoons of the pasta water. The reserved pasta water will help create the sauce. Do not rinse pasta with water -- you want to retain the pasta's natural starches so that the sauce will stick.
• Heat the olive oil in a large saute pan over medium heat. Add the garlic and saute until light brown and fragrant. It's important not to burn the garlic or else it will become bitter. Remove and discard the browned garlic. Add the red pepper flakes and saute for 1 minute. Carefully add the pasta and toss to coat in the flavored oil. Add the reserved pasta water and cook, stirring, to create a sauce, 1 minute.
• Remove the pan from the heat and top with the fresh herbs.

GINA'S BASIC SPAGHETTI SAUCE

Steps:

• 1. Prepare the tomatoes: drop them into a pot of boiling water for about a minute.
• 2. Drain and rinse with cold water.
• 3. Slip off the skins, cut out the \"core\", and coarsely chop.
• 4. Set aside.
• 5. In a large pot, heat the oil. Add onion and fennel seed.
• 6. Fry for a couple of minutes.
• 7. Add the pepper and garlic and fry a couple more minutes.
• 8. Add the rest of the ingredients.
• 9. Bring to a boil, lower heat, then simmer for as long as you can (at least an hour), stirring occasionally.
• 10. I cover the pot loosely when simmering.