Pasta sauces

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Catholic90 said:
Pesto - homemade!

I have a little bullet mixer, so I pack it about half full with fresh basil leaves from my garden. Then add a little olive oil and whip it together. I add enough oil to get it to a good consistency. Then I throw in about 5-6 big cloves of garlic and some parmesan cheese. Mmmmmmmm.
I don’t measure, but I estimate it would be about 1 - 1-1/2 cups packed basil, 5-6 peeled garlic cloves, maybe 3/4 cup olive oil (I watch the consistency), and about 1 cup cheese. I serve it over all kinds of pasta. My kids would eat this every night if they could.

Oh, almost forgot the pine nuts. I buy them in bulk at the grocery store and store them in a baggie in the freezer, so I just reach in, grab a handful, and toss them in too.
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I use basically the same recipe as this, but in the summer I usually sneak over to my neighbor’s garden and steal (with her permission) a handful of fresh mint and add that to the pesto along with the basil. Yummy.
 
I like to saute some garlic in olive oil, then add fresh spinach, chopped fresh basil, sliced baby portabella mushrooms, red pepper strips, and chopped plum tomatoes, kosher salt and fresh ground black pepper and let it all cook down in a very big frying pan. Then I add cooked bow ties to that and fresh grated Pecorino Romano, toss it and cook it for a few minutes in the same frying pan. Then serve hot with more Romano.

And if I don’t want pasta that night, I take the same ingredients (except that I press the garlic) and layer it (uncooked) on a pizza shell, top it with a shredded Italian four-cheese mixture and bake it. Sometimes I also add crumbled Feta chese to this before I put on the shredded cheese.
 
ac_claire said:
Ok CAF chefs!

I have about half a package of fresh mozzarella left over from another recipe. I’m trying to think “outside the box” and was wondering if there’s any way yall know I could incorporate mozzarella into a pasta dish or pasta sauce? The only thing I can think of is a baked dish like baked ziti or macaroni and cheese, but I don’t want to go that route if I don’t have to lol.

TIA! 👍
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I’ve never tried to melt it into a sauce, not sure if you can. I usually take what’s left, chop it into squares, add fresh basil strips, chopped tomatoes, a little oregano, a small amount of salt and some olive oil and eat it as a salad. Or, I just slice it and eat it plain for a snack with some good crackers and fruit.
 
If your mozzarella is in a chunk, you can cut into cubes & put one in the middle of each of your meatballs (see meatball thread). Yummy.
 
ac_claire said:
Ok CAF chefs!

I have about half a package of fresh mozzarella left over from another recipe. I’m trying to think “outside the box” and was wondering if there’s any way yall know I could incorporate mozzarella into a pasta dish or pasta sauce? The only thing I can think of is a baked dish like baked ziti or macaroni and cheese, but I don’t want to go that route if I don’t have to lol.

TIA! 👍
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Get some minced garlic and a little bit of red pepper in olive oil an start to cook. Add chopped plum tomatoes (fresh is better). Five minutes before the tomatoes are cooked add some fresh basil. Once the sauce is ready put on top of the freshly drained pasta the mozzarella (finely chopped) and then on top of it the tomatoes. Stir and let the heat from the pasta and the sauce melt the mozzarella (it will form soft strings). Serve
 
Happy Friday CAF chefs and cooks… 🙂

Here is my sausage/mushroom recipe.

I take Italian sausages and remove the meat from the casing.

I use Italian sausages because they are seasoned just right.

I have tried to use ground pork, but the flavor & taste I found is better with Italian sausage.

Get a big pot hot with a splash of olive oil.

Throw the unwrapped sausage meat in the oil and break it down with a potato masher.

Chop 1 big onion any way you want and throw it in there.

Add a pinch of cinammon

Stir and mash until your sausage meat looks like chop meat.

Once all pink is gone, add a package of sliced mushrooms.

Add about 5-6 garlic, chopped, sliced or whole, it does not matter, they will break down.

Stir well

Add 1/2 cup of wine, white or red it does not matter.

Cook until all of the wine is evaporated.

Add 1 or 2 bay leafs

Now, add 2 cups of water and simmer at a low/med temp until all of the water is evaporated. <— this step is immportant and believe me, it will make a difference.

Now add your tomatoes, chopped or whole or sauce, it does not matter.

Season your tomatoes with S&P, oregano, fresh parsley, a bit of basil if you hav it.

Add about 1 or 2 cup of water into your tomato sauce and cook at a low temp, covered.

Stir occassionly until the sauce has thickened.

Serve this over hot pasta, any pasta you like.

This is also good with white rice or even mashed potatoes.

Serve with a salad & some garlic mozzarella bread.

Whenever I serve this, people go nuts for it.

Oh, this sausage meat/mushroom sauce is GREAT for lasagna.

TGIF everyone and happy cooking!
 
ac_claire said:
Ok CAF chefs!

I have about half a package of fresh mozzarella left over from another recipe. I’m trying to think “outside the box” and was wondering if there’s any way yall know I could incorporate mozzarella into a pasta dish or pasta sauce? The only thing I can think of is a baked dish like baked ziti or macaroni and cheese, but I don’t want to go that route if I don’t have to lol.

TIA! 👍
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Orzo pasta, chopped fresh mozz, some fresh basil, and sundried tomatoes packed in oil! Cook and drain the pasta, then add the basil, sundried tomatoes, and about half of the mozzarella. Stir - the melting mozz and the oil from the tomatoes will make a sauce. Top each serving with a little more cheese and some basil.
 
These are my favorites 4 serving spaghetti sauce 1 pound hamburger 1 14.5 ounce can chopped tomatoes 1 14.5 ounce can tomato sauce 1 small onion chopped 1 teaspoon basil 1 teaspoon oregano 1teaspoon garlic powder1 teaspoon salt brown hamburger with onions and garlic drain fat transfer to large sauce pan add remaining ingredientsimmer
on low 45 minutes /Spaghetti meat sauce 1 onion chopped 2 pounds hamburger 2 teaspoons garlic powder 2 16 ounce cans chopped tomatoes 2 8 ounce cans tomato sauce 2 6 ounce cand tomato paste 1 tablespoon salt 1 teaspoon aregano 1/2 teaspoon pepper 1/4 teaspoon basil 1/4 teaspoon thyme brown hamburger with onion and garlic drain fat add remaining ingredients cook over low heat 1 hour for the lenten season you can omit the hamburger the first recipe will be enough fo a 12 ounce bag of pasta while the second recipe will be enough for a 24 ounce bag pasta
 
ac_claire said:
Ok CAF chefs!

I have about half a package of fresh mozzarella left over from another recipe. I’m trying to think “outside the box” and was wondering if there’s any way yall know I could incorporate mozzarella into a pasta dish or pasta sauce? The only thing I can think of is a baked dish like baked ziti or macaroni and cheese, but I don’t want to go that route if I don’t have to lol.

TIA! 👍
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you could use it to put on top of your pasta and sauce sort of like garnish maybe if you like cheese ontop of your spaghetti I dont like it like that but many other people do
 
  • Have your water boiling
  • Timing is variable - depends on pasta (type and dryness, how long has it sat on the shelf?)
  • Don’t add anything to the water (no salt nor oil)
  • Keep a little of the water the pasta has cooked in to add back afterward (it stops the pasta from getting “gluggy”)
  • Pasta needs to move freely in the water (What size is your pot?)
  • When it is cooked, eat (don’t leave it sitting round)
  • For pasta salads add the other ingredients when the pasta is still hot (it incorporates the flavours)
  • Don’t cut basil (it goes gritty)
  • If you’re short of Parmesan cheese add a few grains of sea salt instead
  • Cook the meat in the water you’ll be cooking the pasta in (maybe at the same time if the meat is not too big nor too bulky)
  • Pasta is about pasta not sauce (don’t drown it, unless you intend it to be soup)
  • Don’t wash basil, it will wash the flavour down the drain
  • Buy basil in season (when prices are down) cover with oil (basil flavoured oil)
  • Store garlic in oil (garlic flavoured oil)
    Grind garlic with salt - makes life easier
    Fresh parsley can take away the smell of garlic
    Cook garlic in oil until it is golden, any more and it will be bitter
    Cook garlic at the beginning to take away that raw garlic taste
  • Parmesan doesn’t go with every sauce. Sometimes sauce needs parsley (flat leaf, ‘Italian’ has more flavour than curley leaf)
  • Make your sauce first - easier for the timing of the pasta
  • There’s different shape pasta for different sauce
  • Grate your own Parmesan cheese (it has a lot more flavour)
The simpler the sauce the better - Here’s one: tomatoes, black olives, garlic and parsley
Here’s another - olive oil, garlic and parsley (or Parmesan cheese)
It’s a bit like a sandwich. Think of what savoury fillings will go into a sandwich. What would go onto a pizza.
 
thequeen said:
These are my favorites 4 serving spaghetti sauce 1 pound hamburger 1 14.5 ounce can chopped tomatoes 1 14.5 ounce can tomato sauce 1 small onion chopped 1 teaspoon basil 1 teaspoon oregano 1teaspoon garlic powder1 teaspoon salt brown hamburger with onions and garlic drain fat transfer to large sauce pan add remaining ingredientsimmer
on low 45 minutes /Spaghetti meat sauce 1 onion chopped 2 pounds hamburger 2 teaspoons garlic powder 2 16 ounce cans chopped tomatoes 2 8 ounce cans tomato sauce 2 6 ounce cand tomato paste 1 tablespoon salt 1 teaspoon aregano 1/2 teaspoon pepper 1/4 teaspoon basil 1/4 teaspoon thyme brown hamburger with onion and garlic drain fat add remaining ingredients cook over low heat 1 hour for the lenten season you can omit the hamburger the first recipe will be enough fo a 12 ounce bag of pasta while the second recipe will be enough for a 24 ounce bag pasta
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Oh yes I forgot to mention that during the lenten season you can omit the hamburger meat from both sauce recipes and keep all the other ingredients the same It is a nice change from fish if you are a person who really doesnt care for fish
 
KEVIN_WILCOX said:
  • Store garlic in oil (garlic flavoured oil)
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I read just today that you shouldn’t keep garlic in oil for more than one week, or it can develop botulism spores that can be deadly. This doesn’t apply to store-bought garlic in oil… Sounds crazy, but I wouldn’t want to lose any CAF buddies over this one!
 
taye said:
I read just today that you shouldn’t keep garlic in oil for more than one week, or it can develop botulism spores that can be deadly. This doesn’t apply to store-bought garlic in oil… Sounds crazy, but I wouldn’t want to lose any CAF buddies over this one!
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Didn’t know that. Thank you:thumbsup:
 
Yesterday, I had great success with a homemade carbonera sauce. I didn’t follow a recipe (pretty much a first for me). I started by frying a few slices bacon in a frying pan. In a small pot, I melted some margarine. Then, I added milk, parmesan cheese, salt, pepper and parsley. I let that simmer for a bit then added a touch of flour for thickening, and stirred it up with a whisk. After the bacon was cooked, I chopped it into small pieces and added it to the sauce. This sauce would be best served on fettuccine or linguine.

A “pasta sauce” we make at home from time to time is my MIL’s special. We mix Campbell’s and Heinz tomato sauce 50/50, add water (quantity depends on how “soupy” you want it). Stir that into your pasta, add salt, pepper and oregano to taste. It’s not exactly a gourmet recipe, but it makes a good weeknight dinner. My MIL used to work in a grocery store and found out that many people liked their pasta this way too.

BTW, I forgot to add in my previous post that garlic in oil needs to be refrigerated too for safety.
 
taye said:
Yesterday, I had great success with a homemade carbonera sauce. I didn’t follow a recipe (pretty much a first for me). I started by frying a few slices bacon in a frying pan. In a small pot, I melted some margarine. Then, I added milk, parmesan cheese, salt, pepper and parsley. I let that simmer for a bit then added a touch of flour for thickening, and stirred it up with a whisk. After the bacon was cooked, I chopped it into small pieces and added it to the sauce. This sauce would be best served on fettuccine or linguine.
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Hmm I might try this, with butter instead of margerine. I know it sounds funny, but I wonder if I could get away with not using the milk?
 
Traditional carbonara has no milk, but does have eggs. Here is my favorite recipe for it from the Food Network. I don’t add the garlic, because the pancetta that I use seems to have enough. I also don’t use freshly grated cheese - it’s too expensive for me. I use a parmesan/romano blend of grated cheese from the grocery store. It’s really quick and easy, in spite of the length of the directions. And really, really delicious.

Betsy
 
Oooooo I have a good one for you. My girls LOVE LOVE LOVE it when I make my “alfedo” sauce. I dont know if it is Alfredo, but thats what I call it.

You will need

1 quart heavy whipping cream
1/4 cup fresh shredded parmesan cheese
1/4 cup fresh shredded or from deli pecorino romano
1 clove of garlic or about 1/4 tsp of minced garlic (I like roasted garlic)
about a handful of chopped green onion (chives)
salt and pepper

In a sauce pan saute green onions and garlic in 1/4tsp of butter
pour in about 2 cups of whipping cream and bring to a low boil
add the shredded parm and pecorino and stir.
Add a dash of salt (to taste) and pepper.
Lower the heat and let it thicken, stirring constantly. You dont want the cheese to stick to the pan. Once its thick turn off heat. Pour over your fav. pasta or meat.

I use it for tortellini, chicken Alfredo and Swedish meatballs.
 
Thats right Carbonara has NO milk…its egg yolks that make the “creamy” sauce. I love carbonara.
QUOTE=baltobetsy;5766567]Traditional carbonara has no milk, but does have eggs. Here is my favorite recipe for it from the Food Network. I don’t add the garlic, because the pancetta that I use seems to have enough. I also don’t use freshly grated cheese - it’s too expensive for me. I use a parmesan/romano blend of grated cheese from the grocery store. It’s really quick and easy, in spite of the length of the directions. And really, really delicious.

Betsy
 
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