lenny@uunet.UU.NET (Lenny Silver) (10/31/90)
In article <1990Oct25.224820.23345@mthvax.cs.miami.edu> mjs4709@ultb.isc.rit.edu (M.J. Solomon ) writes: >Does anyone have a good recipe for spagetti sauce? Here is a great recipe for marinara sauce that is absolutely simple. The only problems come when you add ingredients and destroy its simplicity. olive oil, garlic, tomatoes, basil, crushed red pepper, salt. Chop up some garlic into a cold pan, add some olive oil, heat a while but don't brown. Add tomatoes, simmer a while, add basil, pepper, salt. Simmer a while longer. Serve. Total cooking time 10-15 minutes for canned tomatoes, longer for fresh. Quantities are variable, depending upon personal taste and circumstances. Oil varies from 1 tbsp to 4 tbsp. Garlic varies from 2 cloves to 12 cloves or more for real garlic-freaks. One two-pound can of Italian plum tomatoes makes 2-3 servings of sauce. Fresh plum tomatoes are best, but be sure to cut the skin pieces small for a good texture. If you use canned tomatoes with salt, be sure to add less salt yourself. Fresh basil is best, frozen basil will do, but dried basil won't make the sauce I'm describing. If you want peppers or mushrooms or anything else in this sauce, cook it separately and add only just before serving. Lenny Silver
peloquin@orange (Renee P. Peloquin) (03/28/91)
Since you didn't specify whether you wanted a marinara, a red gravy, a brown gravy, I chose marinara. Wait until you get hold of some beautiful home-grown, ripened-in-the-sun tomatoes this summer for a wonderful experience. Otherwise, use canned whole or pureed tomatoes, increase the seasoning, add rosemary, marjoram, or oregano, and call it red gravy. Marinara sauce Fresh tomatoes. Plum tomatoes are best because they are more meaty. garlic olive oil pepper (white, if you have it) fresh basil, chopped (dried, if you don't have fresh) fresh italian parsley chopped (leave it out if you don't have it) Chop up the tomatoes-some very fine, some chunks. Tilt up the saucepan, make a small puddle of oil at the bottom edge, and brown the garlic over low heat until it is just golden. If you leave the clove whole, you will need to use lower heat and longer, but can remove the clove. If you chop it, it will go faster and you will have garlic chunks. Your choice. Add the tomatoes and other seasonings. With the best tomatoes, use a light hand with garlic and seasonings. Simmer for only as long as it takes to drive off some moisture and blend the flavors, but not so long as to drive off (m)any of the flavors. Ten minutes could be enough. Don't cook any longer than 20 minutes. Serve with pasta, beans (chickpeas are good), etc. Renee P. Mattie mattie@sun0.chem.upenn.edu