tomato sauce ideas???

Sadderday

Yo,

My aul lad loves the aul pasta and tomato sauce (no meat). I make it for him once a week but everyweek he says 'it's lovely but it's missing something' or 'its lovely but its a bit watery' ....

Any tips on what I can add/take away to make it just gorgeous. Normally we throw in whatever is in the press, so this is basically it:

-onion, garlic, bay leaf, celery, peppers, 2 tins of tomatoes, black pepper, salt, mixed herbs, a bit of tomato puree, a sprinkle of paprika, I just bought chilis-gonna throw one in when we make it later to suss it out... normally we end up throwing a jar of dolmio in on top cos it looks 'too watery'

It does be nice enough but maybe I should strain the tins ? anyone ever throw carrots in? he wont touch a mushroom so no can do there!!

Thanks!

I am pie

Stay away from the dolmio, out in a touch of sugar or maybe a dash of balsamic vinegar. Maybe let it simmer a little longer to let some of the water evaporate , the flavours would be a little stronger.

Don't chuck more ingredients at it, just give it a nice long cook. Maybe even simplify it a bit more.

I like passata (watery puree) + chunky skinned tomatoes (fresh, better than from the tin...will be sweeter)+ , garlic, salt and pepper. Try adding dash of white wine, red can be a bit rich with tomatoes on it's own. Towards the very end of cooking time roughly chop some fresh basil and chuck it on top. I honestly think a good tomato sauce will stand on it's own without lobbing too much in there. If you are adding herbs during the cooking I would go for Oregano, but not too much else. Those dried mixed herbs can confuse the flavour.

If you do want onions and or peppers, cook them in garlic with a dash of oregano before adding anything else.

Also, a good parmesan sprinkled over at the end. No need for peppers and onions even! If you get good quality pasta and everything else you use if fresh and good quality (including a good olive oil to drizzle over at the end) you'll have no need to complicate matters.

Short version...less is more, quality is key ! Good italian recipes rely on simplicity and quality.

MurdyWurdy

I also recommend using passata - it makes a huge difference. Makes the sauce kind of creamy without making it watery. I would also avoid Dolmio or other jars of sauces, you're just undoing all the nice stuff you're putting in by adding a jar of sauce as that will have it's own flavours that will probably overpower what you put in yourself.

I add red wine, brown sugar and a dash of lea and perrins to mine, along with garlic, onions and the passata. If I use passata I generally don't also use tinned tomatoes. It needs to simmer for a good while too, so I try not to put the pasta on until the sauce is bubbling away. That way I know it will cook for a good amount of time.

Also, grated carrot can be very nice in tomato sauce for pasta, makes it kind of sweet but without taking away from the substance of it. That can also be a good way to get veggies in to someone who doesn't eat much (kids, fussy eaters etc)

Eurox

Use quality ingredients, avoid that processed stuff, here’s one for you that serves 4
1 tsp olive oil, 1 large onion , chopped, 2 celery sticks, chopped, 2 carrots ,chopped, 1 leek , chopped, 2 peppers , deseeded and chopped, 2 x 400g cans chopped tomatoes with garlic, 1 tbsp each caster sugar and balsamic vinegar, 300g dried pasta Heat the oil and gently cook the onion, celery, carrots and leek until soft, about 20 mins. Add the peppers and cook for 10 mins more, then tip in the tomatoes, sugar and vinegar. Simmer for at least 20 mins - the longer the better. Cook the pasta following pack instructions. Meanwhile, blitz the sauce with a hand blender until smooth, season and return to the heat to keep warm while the pasta cooks. Drain the pasta and toss through the sauce. Serve in bowls topped with shaved Parmesan and rocket leaves, if you like. Counts as 5 of your 5-a-day;)

Sadderday

Thanks all, Im a novice. The aul lad quit smoking and reckons he can taste now so loves all the sauces.
Since my mother is a meat and two veg oldschool irish cook, its a novelty for him to have pasta and since he decided he loved it, the kitchen was stocked with the whole dolmio range.

Never heard of Passata so defo checking that out. Thanks for all the advice on this.

Gonna take tips from each of the posts above... !!

MurdyWurdy

Sadderday wrote: »

Thanks all, Im a novice. The aul lad quit smoking and reckons he can taste now so loves all the sauces.
Since my mother is a meat and two veg oldschool irish cook, its a novelty for him to have pasta and since he decided he loved it, the kitchen was stocked with the whole dolmio range.

Never heard of Passata so defo checking that out. Thanks for all the advice on this.

Gonna take tips from each of the posts above... !!

It'll be next to the tinned tomatoes in the supermarket - you can get cartons or bottles of it Good luck!

Sadderday

MurdyWurdy wrote: »

It'll be next to the tinned tomatoes in the supermarket - you can get cartons or bottles of it Good luck!

that was my next question!!, great stuff.. thank you... I'll let you know how it goes !!!!!

GalwayGuy2

Basil, Garlic and a little bit of chilli for a snap.

Sadderday

GalwayGuy2 wrote: »

Basil, Garlic and a little bit of chilli for a snap.

Thanks!!, when do ya lash the chili in?

GalwayGuy2

Thanks!!, when do ya lash the chili in?

I saute it with the garlic (and throw in onions to make it kind of like a curry) and add the dried basil with the canned tomatoes, or the fresh basil at the end.

Sadderday

GalwayGuy2 wrote: »

I saute it with the garlic (and throw in onions to make it kind of like a curry) and add the dried basil with the canned tomatoes, or the fresh basil at the end.

cheers for that... here goes nothin !!!

squonk

You can get Passata very cheaply in Aldo, they do little blue cartons of it beside the tomatoes.

For a treat, get some Chorizo sausage when you're shopping as well. Preferably they sausage and not the pre sliced stuff you get in Testco etc. Lidl/Aldo are good. I find Aldi's one good because it's a smaller pack. You don't need to use a lot. Chop it up into small pieces and saute with the onions and garlic, before you add the tomatoes etc. It'll be lovely!

BailMeOut

white wine enhances tomato flavour. Vodka does too. A splash of either towards the end letting the alcohol cook off really takes your sauce up a few notches.

I also like to use red bell pepper in mine as it adds a nice sweetness.

sachieauckland

tomato flavour just makes every food so delicious and yummy sometimes i pour on it salt...

syklops

The 'a bit watery' sounds like your not letting it reduce.

Dont drain the tins of tomatoes, just let it simmer a bit longer. I'd also add a glass of wine(cheap stuff will be fine).

I also add carrot to mine at the start along with the onion and celery and let it sweat for a few minutes, before adding anything else.

Jezek

The way you make is a sauce is important! I.e. in olive oil, fry either some garlic/onion or celery/carrot/onion first, before you add any other ingredients. Frying certain spices at this stage is also good, e.g. bay.

Now here is a secret: add an anchovy here, it will dissolve and will add that 'missing' flavour . Just watch your salting after.
Another hint: add cinnamon to a tomato sauce, southern italian style...