A guide to Italian sauces some advice information.

[MrRigatoni]

I thought talk about sauces in Italian cuisine .

Some general advice and some information.

All sauces are based on Tomatoes and contain either Onion or Garlic no need for one or the other .

If you have Garlic do not need Onions, same have Onions no need Garlic.

Always buy the best ingredients you can afford.

Buy not very good or those of poor quality never do that.

Buy the ones Italian uses on line or search supermarkets will say on the labels.

You need the following a good blender, saucepan and or use food processor.

I am going to add some techniques to give you restaurant style fine dining sauces.

When you go out to these places sauces how simply do they do that.

Kitchen secrets, I learnt mine over thirty plus years ago still learning.

These are very simple sauces freezer useful to store.

Need before I forget bowls, sieves fines ones.

Ladles spoons.

These are all used for Pasta but can be used for Ragu sauces with meat Chicken long slow cooker and so on.

In Italian households never had blenders or food processors old times.

Use a Mouli a contraption looks like a colander with a handle add sauce to it turn handle.

Over a bowl may I add turn one way turn the other.

Means sauce is clear and no bits, has all the taste flavour.

Some have few ingredients so ideal if you have no money.

CLASSIC TOMATO SAUCE

Onions finely chopped or use frozen chopped or fresh.

Jar Passata.

Paprika one teaspoon

Oregano, Parsley dried used half teaspoon each.

Seasonings Salt Pepper.

Tomato Puree Tomato Ketchup a tiny bit or sugar.

METHOD

Add to a saucepan with Olive oil. All ingredients. Let it cook down simmer two hours, check.

Or use a Slow Cooker low four hours.

When cooked cool add to bowl then to sink.

Blitz up blender, sieve this add a sieve to another bowl and press down using a ladle swirl and then liquid comes out this is your sauce leaves behind residues the Onions or any bits herbs and so on.

If you have a good blender not much comes out of when you sieve, good ones do that.

Incorporate the ingredients blended up.

ARRABBIATA

Means fiery enraged the sauce comes from Rome.

INGREDIENTS

Passata jar

Porcini dried Mushrooms.

Use jar shop around pricey .

Pancetta cubed shop around varies.

Tomato Puree. Tomato Ketchup one teaspoon.

of each.

Chilli flakes use carefully used one quarter teaspoon.

Garlic Powder.

Basil Dried half a teaspoon.

METHOD

Fry pancetta olive oil till coloured. Crisp, remove.

Add porcini to bowl hot kettle allow to soak half hour then drain keep liquid, final bits of liquid leave has grit in it.

Ingredients add to saucepan olive oil everything including pancetta.

Bring to a simmer add to a blender cool down first and blizt.

Sieve bowl .

Could if so wish leave this as it is.

MARINARA

INGREDIENTS

Onions fresh frozen chopped.

Garlic Powder. one teaspoon.

Passata jar.

Tomato Puree, Tomato Ketchup. half teaspoon.

Oregano dried half teaspoon.

Parsley dried half teaspoon.

Lemon juice a teaspoon.

Season salt pepper.

METHOD

Add everything saucepan olive oil simmer couple hours then to blender blitz then sieve bowl.

Note this sauce used for Seafood or every day use.

MEATBALL SAUCE

Use this one for meatball buy or make.

INGREDIENTS

Onions, chopped, diced.fresh or frozen.

Chilli flakes half teaspoon.

Passata jar

Parsley dried half teaspoon.

Veg stock cube made up half a pint.

Tomato Puree Tomato Ketchup, half a teaspoon each.

METHOD

All to a saucepan olive oil simmer couple hours cool down blender sieve bowl.

Note sauces liquid too runny. Add to thicken up the following. Cornflour used, just a touch with liquid .

When blended this thickens up sauces.

Any questions happy to answer.

Thank you all.

[Zest]

Hi MrRigatoni

I am wondering why you recommend that onion OR garlic are included in the sauces, rather than both? What is the reason. I must admit I've put both in sometimes!

I find your information and tips helpful and interesting, so thanks for sharing them.

Zest

[MrRigatoni in reply to Zest]

Hello thank you for questions.

I learnt this from the Nonas The grandmothers head of the kitchen in many Italian homes.

Onions and Garlic it is not necessary as both come from the same family.

Onions, Leeks, Garlic so just use one.

Many times Garlic is strong stuff and can over take a dish.

Our Onions are strong but there regional specalities are when cooked bring a sweetness.

I use White Onions in sauces that are cooked a long time. Bolognese being one

Red Onions for Pasta sauces and Ragu.

Also remember something else your a poor poverty stricken Italian Mama. lol...

These recipes are established hundreds years old and regional specialities so using minimal ingredients.

If you just come home for a meal maybe then working in the fields or may the Pasta Factory or what ever the job is .Had to use what is available.

These are using ingredients less is more so saves using two of the same family types so use one or the other another meal.

Leeks used in place of Onions, Garlic in Soups.

Challenges you all these recipes if you watch Jamie on the subject has many of these.

Doing simplicity in making food using good ingredients makes a good cook . Using then the time to concentrate on bringing out the flavour of the ingredients.

Too many and too muddled confusing.

Hope that answers your questions.

Have a go make some yourself challenge I give you a Onion lol... That is a start find short cuts solutions that food will taste better.

Hope this helps gives some imputeus .

Does mean of course one thing more money to have because your spending less.

As said before on benefits so means three meat free meals a week,less to spend.

In these times do we need a massive food bill.

I do not have one and do have also a lot more money to use . Much needed.

Thank you take care.

[Zest in reply to MrRigatoni]

Thanks MrRigatoni - your answers are very helpful.

Hope you have an enjoyable day.

Zest