Today I made fresh pasta sauce. I’ve been making a lot of it lately. I’ve practiced and I’m ready to share with you my technique on making it great every time.
You will need the following:
Olive Oil
8 cloves of Garlic
Sea Salt
Fresh Ground Pepper
Crushed Red Pepper Flakes
Fresh Basil
1 35 ounce can of San Marzano Roma Tomatoes
Red Wine (optional)
The pictures and directions are as follows:
Step 1: Pour Olive Oil
Step 1: Pour Olive Oil
Add less than 1/4 of Olive Oil to Sauce Pan.
Step 2: Chop Garlic
Step 2: Chop Garlic
Chop 8 cloves of garlic with broad cuts.
Step 3: Heat Olive Oil + Sea Salt
Step 3: Heat Olive Oil + Sea Salt
While you are chopping your garlic, heat Olive Oil with a dash of Sea Salt.
Step 4: Crush Garlic (optional)
Step 4: Crush Garlic (optional)
I like to Crush my Garlic by pressing my palm down on the heavy end of the knife over the Garlic.
Step 5: Add Garlic to Oil
Step 5: Add Garlic to Oil
Turn the heat down to medium. Lightly brown the Garlic in the Olive Oil, no more than 2 minutes.
Step 6: Sea Salt + San Marzano Tomatoes
Step 6: Sea Salt + San Marzano Tomatoes
The ingredients you use make a huge taste difference. I prefer Baleine Sea Salt and 35.oz can of La Valle San Marzano Roma Tomatoes. The Sea Salt should cost you less than $3 bucks, and the Tomatoes should be no more than $2.19. Most brands of San Marzano tomatoes will do.
Step 7: Add Tomatoes to Olive Oil
Step 7: Add Tomatoes to Olive Oil
Open the can of San Marzano Tomatoes, and carefully add to the Olive Oil and Garlic. Be careful to add them slowly so you don’t splatter tomato sauce and hot oil all over the place, and your fingers.
Step 8: Crush Tomatoes with a Whisk
Step 8: Crush Tomatoes with a Whisk
When you add the tomatoes, they will be whole and peeled. You want to use the whisk to break the tomatoes and blend the sauce. The more you whisk, the smoother the texture of the sauce. I like to leave some chunks so that the sauce has good balance.
Step 9: Add Crushed Red Pepper
Step 9: Add Crushed Red Pepper
Add Crushed Red Pepper flakes to taste.
Step 10: Add Sea Salt + Pepper
Step 10: Add Sea Salt + Pepper
Add Sea Salt + Pepper to taste.
Step 11: Bring to Boil
Step 11: Bring to Boil
Now bring the sauce to a gentle boil. Stir the sauce to make sure it doesn’t stick or burn. At this point, the sauce should boil within a few minutes.
Step 12: Add Red Wine (optional)
Step 12: Add Red Wine (optional)
Of course you can make your pasta sauce with or without wine. There are many variations. Add to taste, but don’t add more than 1/2 a cup. The more you add, the thinner your sauce and the more time you will need to boil it down.
Step 13: Chop Fresh Basil
Step 13: Chop Fresh Basil
Fresh Basil will make your sauce. Finding the fresh article will not only make your sauce taste better, it will make you feel better. Honest!
Step 14: Add Basil +Simmer
Step 14: Add Basil +Simmer
Mix in the chopped Basil and lower the heat all the way down. Simmer the sauce for at least twenty minutes, stirring every few minutes.
Step 15: Finish Sauce
Step 15: Finish Sauce
After about 20-30 minutes, your sauce should look like this. At this point, you can either serve over fresh ‘al dente’ pasta, or refrigerate the sauce for later. Making pasta sauce ahead of time can save you time later. I like to make sauce on sundays and use it through the week. It all depends on how much you want to eat. Buono appetito!
Step 16: Add Leftovers (optional)
Step 16: Add Leftovers (optional)
The other day, I showed you how to make fresh meatballs. flickr.com/photos/mojo/sets/72157594507988918/
Well if you have any leftovers, or as in my case, some of the meatballs fell apart, they make a perfect addition to the sauce. I added about a little more than a cup of mashed up meatballs. Since they had been refrigerated, I added them to the sauce, and left it on simmer for about another 20-30 minutes. You may need to add a little more tomato sauce or wine to balance the sauce out. Enjoy!
Originally uploaded by mojo!.
That’s it. Eat well. Be Well.
-m
