Basic Tomato Sauce (Pomodori Sauce - pomodoro means tomato in Italian)
For many, there is simply nothing better with pasta than a good red sauce. But, as most Italians will tell you, not all red sauce is created equal. The two main red sauces in the Italian food realm are undoubtedly Marinara and Pomodoro, but how on earth are we supposed to distinguish one from the other? Besides a few variations, both have basically the same standard ingredients: tomatoes, garlic, basil, olive oil and salt.
The difference mainly comes down to the length of time each pot of sauce spends on the stovetop, simmering to delicious goodness. Since Marinara spends less time simmering and has chopped tomatoes, it offers a bright, red hue, and is typically runnier, with larger and zestier chunks of tomatoes. Conversely, Pomodoro features minced tomatoes and enjoys more time simmering, which grants the sauce a deep, dark redness closer to burgundy, and a consistency that is smoother and thicker. Think of pomodoro as having a consistency similar to pizza sauce (after all, it's sometimes spread on pizzas), while marinara has bigger pieces of tomato. They both make for delicious spaghetti sauces.
Once pomodoro sauce is made, you can cut down on prep time and use it for a variety of your favorite dinner recipes including pastas, pizza, pot roasts, and meat loaf. A big batch can be made ahead, cooled, and stored in the refrigerator for a few days, or in the freezer for up to 3 months.
Basic Tomate Sauce is one of Escoffier's five "Mother Sauces," which are still taught to chefs today. Note, though, the Italian tomato sauce is a bit different than the French tomato sauce. Italian tomato sauces are often served over pasta, whereas the French tomate sauce is often cooked with a meat bone and used for meats and vegetables, depending on its purpose.
Also see Giada Giada De Laurentiis' Simple Tomato Sauce in her Fusilli w/ Tuna and Capers recipe.
Basic Tomato Sauce
Recipe Courtesy Mario Batali
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
1 Spanish onion, chopped in 1/4-inch dice
4 garlic cloves, peeled and thinly sliced
3 tablespoons chopped fresh thyme leaves, or 1 tablespoon dried
1/2 medium carrot, finely shredded
2 (28-ounce) cans peeled whole tomatoes, crushed by hand and juices reserved
Salt, to taste
In a 3-quart saucepan, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the onion and garlic and cook until soft and light golden brown, about 8 to 10 minutes.
Add the thyme and carrot and cook 5 minutes more, until the carrot is quite soft. Add the tomatoes and juice and bring to a boil, stirring often. Lower the heat and simmer for 30 minutes until as thick as hot cereal.
Season with salt and serve. This sauce holds 1 week in the refrigerator or up to 6 months in the freezer. Good over tortellini.
Yield: 4 cups
Best Basic Red Sauce
Recipe courtesy Emeril Lagasse, 2007
1 tablespoon olive oil
3/4 cup chopped yellow onions (1 medium yellow onion)
1/2 teaspoon minced garlic (2 cloves garlic)
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon dried basil
1/4 teaspoon dried oregano
1/8 teaspoon ground black pepper
1 (28-ounce) can whole peeled tomatoes
1 (15-ounce) can tomato sauce
4 1/2 teaspoons tomato paste
1 cup water
1/2 teaspoon sugar
In a medium, heavy pot, heat the oil over medium heat. Add the onions, garlic, salt, basil, oregano and black pepper, and cook, stirring, until soft, 5 minutes.
Place the tomatoes in a large bowl and squeeze to break into small pieces. Add the tomato sauce, tomato paste, water, and sugar to the pot and stir well. Bring to a simmer over medium-high heat.
Lower the heat to medium-low, and simmer uncovered for 45 minutes, stirring occasionally with a heavy wooden spoon.
Yield 10 cups
