Italian Red Sauce Recipes

ITALIAN RED SAUCE

Steps:

• Cover the bottom of your pot with a quarter of an inch of olive oil.
• Chop the garlic and shallot and add them to the pot with a pinch of red pepper flakes, cooking very slowly on a low flame until they soften.
• Meanwhile, lightly brown the sausage in a separate pan.
• Once the garlic is fragrant and glistening, add the crushed tomatoes.
• Stir slowly and add a generous pinch of oregano.
• Once warm, add the sausage and turn flame down as low as possible. Cook for 1 to 1 1/2 hours.
• When the sauce is bubbling with ribbons of oil forming at the top, remove from heat.
• Stir well and add the pasta of your choice. Sausage serves as a second course.

TRADITIONAL ITALIAN RED SAUCE

Steps:

• 1. Gather your ingredients.
• 2. Introduce the tomatoes (including the juice) to a large bowl.
• 3. Crush the tomatoes up using your hands.
• 4. Chef's Tip: Use your hands... It's therapeutic.
• 5. Take about three cups of the tomatoes, and reserve.
• 6. Prep the remaining ingredients, and have them on hand.
• 7. In a large Dutch oven over medium heat, add the butter and olive oil.
• 8. When the butter has melted and the foaming subsides, add the garlic.
• 9. Cook, stirring frequently, until the garlic begins to color, about 1 minute.
• 10. Add the crushed red pepper flakes, and the oregano.
• 11. Cook an addition minute, or until fragrant.
• 12. Chef's Tip: Okay, here's the deal. I want the garlic to cook for about two minutes; however, if I wait to add the other spices until the garlic begins to brown... The result will be burned garlic. So, we're adding the other ingredients a bit early for the garlic. But, understand, that the garlic will color, and then brown, and then burn very quickly. Therefore, keep an eye on your pot, and watch the heat.
• 13. Add the tomatoes, and combine.
• 14. Add the chopped carrot, onion, and basil.
• 15. Stir to combine.
• 16. Place a rack in the lower position, and preheat oven to 265f (130c).
• 17. Chefs's Tip: Bring the sauce up to a boil, and then quickly return to a simmer. This technique works well with many sauces; however, don't try it if the sauce has a milk, or heavy cream.
• 18. As the sauce is simmering add a bit of salt, and pepper.
• 19. Chef's Tip: Since this sauce is going to reduce, you don't want to add too much salt at this stage of the game.
• 20. Cover the pot, with lid slightly askew, and place into the preheated oven.
• 21. Allow to cook in the oven; giving it a quick stir every hour.
• 22. After about 5 or 6 hours it should be reduced by half, and have a nice deep red coloring.
• 23. Chef's Note: The time depends on the calibration of your oven. Ovens can be off by 20 or more degrees (I hate it when that happens). I have my ovens calibrated every year. This is what you should do: When you open the oven every hour to give it a quick stir, if it looks like it's cooking too fast... lower the temperature. Aunt Josephine baked this at 300f (150c), and it took a bit over 5 hours. I would rather turn the temp down a bit, and have the sauce take a bit more time, than stick to an arbitrary temperature and let it burn. Use your chef's intuition... May the force be with you.
• 24. Remove from the oven, and then discard the carrots, onions, and basil.
• 25. Chef's Tip: Best way to do this is to go fishing with a pair of tongs.
• 26. Add the reserved tomatoes to the pot, and stir to combine.
• 27. Add the fish sauce (optional), and stir.
• 28. Add the parsley, and stir to combine.
• 29. Chef's Tip: Season again (if needed) with salt and pepper.
• 30. Serve over your favorite pasta dishes, or use as a sauce for a meatball sub. Enjoy.
• 31. Keep the faith, and keep cooking.

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.

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.

ARRABBIATA (SPICY ITALIAN RED SAUCE)

Steps:

• Warm EVOO and butter over medium high heat until butter is melted.
• Add in all of the red pepper flakes and stir until fragrant, 1-2 minutes.
• Add all onions, peppers, garlic powder, Italian seasoning, salt and pepper and sauté until veggies are soft, about 7-10 minutes.
• Add tomatoes, agave, water and torn basil and stir until combined. Bring to a boil and reduce to low heat. Simmer for 4 hours.
• Add Parmesan cheese and stir. Use immediately or let cool and store in the fridge for up to 5 days or freezer for up to 1 year.

ITALIAN SAUSAGE IN RED SAUCE

Steps:

• Place all ingredients in large duch oven and cover.
• Simmer on the stove for 1 1/2- 2 hours.
• Serve on sturdy french rolls with sauce, peppers and onions over top.
• We like to also top with hot gardinera.

ITALIAN RED SAUCE AKA RED GRAVY OR SPAGHETTI SAUCE

Steps:

• Place olive oil in a large soup pot.
• Add garlic and simmer about one minute, do not let it brown.
• Put tomatoes in blender and blend briefly to smooth out the tomatoes.
• Then add to garlic.
• Cut Italian ham in chunks.
• When I order this from the Deli, I have them cut it in 1/2 lb slab.
• Add basil and crushed red pepper flakes.
• Let simmer about 6 hours.
• I always check the richness of the sauce by putting a spoonful in a clean bowl, let it sit for about 5 minutes and if water is seperating from the sauce, continue to simmer.