It's as easy to make pasta sauce as it is to buy pre-made in the jar or can. You can avoid flavour enhancers like MSG, and you can control the taste, and you can tweak the spices as you see fit. The ingredients are only limited by your imagination, so if you're imaginative then you have an endless variety of sauces. My favorite sauces are posted here, starting with the simplest and ending with the most complex. However, most of these have a few basics in common.
How to:
All my pasta recipes start with about 3 cloves of garlic, peel them and split them to remove the stems from the center. Then chop them. You get a hint of garlic, but not enough to overpower the other flavours. I add shallots instead of onion. I seldom use onions for a quick sauce, but they will work in a pinch. Dice the shallots fine or cut them into thin slices if you are looking for a coarse texture.
Brown the chopped garlic in a few tablespoons of olive oil in a large skillet on medium high heat, and then add the shallots. I add oregano, basil and a little salt and pepper at this point. Then turn down the heat.
Although the recipes vary from here on, I keep salt and pepper grinders, red pepper flakes, and a parmesan grater on the table for all of them.
Tomato: I add a can of diced tomatoes to the garlic and shallots (and some hot chili peppers if you like aromatico). I like the texture of diced tomatoes, but you may prefer crushed tomatoes. Simmer until the sauce has thickened. Mix in a teaspoon of brown sugar if you find the sauce too acidic after simmering. Mix your cooked pasta and the sauce in the pan, stirring so that all the pasta is coated. Suggestion: Always reserve a little of the pasta water, in case the pasta gets too dry after mixing. Sprinkle each serving with some fresh parsley and serve immediately.
Sausage and tomatoes: I add those diced cooked sausage to the garlic and shallots before I add the tomatoes. Click here for a hint about where the sausage comes from. Simmer until the sauce has thickened. Mix your cooked pasta and the sauce in the pan, stirring so that all the pasta is coated. Suggestion: Always reserve a little of the pasta water, in case the pasta gets too dry after mixing. Sprinkle each serving with some fresh parsley and serve immediately.
Ham and or bacon and tomatoes: exactly the same as above but with diced ham or chopped bacon instead of sausages.
Super simple Bolognese: Fry about 300 to 400 grams ground beef or ground pork (if you're in Florence, Italy you can use ground wild boar) with the garlic and shallots, spicing the meat to taste. You can add a stalk of finely chopped celery and/ or a couple of grated carrots if you like, but it's optional. Then add the tomatoes when the vegetables have browned just a bit. And simmer the same way you would the simple tomato sauce above. Mix your cooked pasta and the sauce in the pan, stirring so that all the pasta is coated. Suggestion: Always reserve a little of the pasta water, in case the pasta gets too dry after mixing. Sprinkle each serving with some fresh parsley and serve immediately. You will find a more traditional and complex Bolognese recipe further on in this article.
Chicken and Mushroom in Cream (and/ or Cheese) Sauce: Start your garlic and shallots as in the previous recipes, and add a boneless/skinless diced chicken breast (or thighs if preferred). Once the chicken has been partially cooked, about 3 to 4 minutes, add about 250 grams sliced mushrooms. When the mushrooms begin to brown, stir in 1 cup of chicken broth or 1 cup water with a chicken bouillon cube. Simmer until the liquids have reduced about 50%. Then add 1/2 to 3/4 cup of milk and bring to a slight rolling boil. Simmer until the sauce is somewhat thickened. Stir in about 1/4 cup grated parmesan, Italian blend, or mozzarella cheese until incorportated. Add salt and pepper to taste. Mix your cooked pasta and the sauce in the pan,stirring so that all the pasta is coated. Suggestion: I use a bit of milk instead of pasta water for this one if the pasta gets too dry after mixing. Sprinkle each serving with some fresh parsley and serve immediately.
Chopped Spinach in cream (and / or cheese) sauce is made exactly as above, but no chicken or mushrooms. Diced pork or bacon or prosciutto works well instead though. If using meat, start the meats right after the garlic and shallots have started to caramelize, and then add the chopped spinach followed by chicken broth. Simmer until the liquids have reduced about 50%. Then add 1/2 to 3/4 cup of milk and bring to a slight rolling boil. Melting in grated cheese is, as always, optional. Simmer until the sauce has somewhat thickened. Add salt and pepper to taste. Mix your cooked pasta and the sauce in the pan, stirring so that all the pasta is coated. Suggestion: I use a bit of milk instead of pasta water for this one if the pasta gets too dry after mixing. Sprinkle each serving with some fresh parsley and serve immediately. This sauce works well with just about any vegetable you might want to use, and it's a fun way to use some of those odds and ends of pork, bacon, chopped steak. It magically turns leftovers into a brand a fresh new meal. How do we do it? Imagination!
If you want an Alfredo sauce: start your garlic and shallots in a few tablespoons of butter instead of olive oil. Stir in 1 tablespoon flour. Stir in a half cup of chicken broth or 1/2 cup water with a chicken Boullion cube. Simmer until the liquids have reduced. Then add 1 cup of milk or cream and bring to a slight rolling boil. Add about 1/4 cup (or more if desired) grated parmesan cheese to the desired texture.
Carbonara sauce is trickier than the previous cream sauces because there is a real danger of getting fancy scrambled eggs if not mixed or heated properly. But it's worth the effort. Start with the usual base. You know the drill: garlic, shallots in olive as in all of the above. Then add 5 or 6 ounces diced bacon or prosciutto and cook until the bacon is beginning to crisp. In a metal bowl, whisk together 3 or 4 eggs and 1 extra yolk, 1/4 cup grated parmesan, and 1/4 cup grated mozzarella. Add about 1/3 cup of the pasta water to the egg mixture, stirring well. Reserve a little extra water in case you need it. Set the mixing bowl over the boiling pot of pasta water and cook, stirring quickly until the sauce thickens to a creamy consistency. (I will occasionally add a little milk to get just the right texture) Remove from pasta pot and mix with the drained pasta. Serve quickly and add grated parmesan and salt to individual portions to taste.
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