Spaghetti (Pasta) Sauce

If you don't want meat in your sauce, just leave it out!

1 1/2 pounds lean ground beef
1/2 cup of onion, finely chopped
3 cloves of garlic, finely chopped
1/2 teaspoon of red pepper flakes
1 can (28 ounces) crushed tomatoes
1 can (6 ounces) of tomato paste
1 can (15 ounces) of tomato sauce
1/2 cup of water
2 tablespoons of sugar
2 teaspoons of dried basil
1/2 teaspoon of fennel seeds
2 teaspoons of Italian Seasoning
1 teaspoon of salt
1/4 teaspoon of pepper
2 tablespoons of dried parsley


Here's what you need to do:
In a Dutch Oven, brown the ground beef.
Add the onion and garlic and cook until the onion is translucent.
Add the crushed tomatoes, sauce, paste, and the water.
Stir until well blended.
Add the Basil, Fennel Seeds, Italian Seasoning, Salt, Pepper,
2 tablespoons of Parsley and the sugar.
Stir until well blended. Cover and cook for at least 45 minutes but if
you have the time, cook it for 2 to 2 1/2 hours, it will be even better.

Close to my base though I don't put meat in my base sauce. I also don't need sugar in mine due to using the San Marzano tomatoes that have no bitter taste. I use two can's of the whole and one diced San Marzano, one can of paste and one paste can of wine. I use a large diced onion, diced bell pepper and one jar of the roasted red pepper drained and diced. I use my own Italian blend of spices as well as about a 1/4 cup of fresh basil and the same amount of fresh flat leaf parsley. I also add a table spoon of crushed red pepper as well as about 6 to 8 cloves of garlic crushed. I add the basil and parsley near the end after I use a stick blender in the pot to get the texture I like. Later if I want a meat sauce I usually mix Italian sausage with out the casing, good beef I've ground myself and brown it with more the Italian spice blend, salt and pepper. Mine base sauce is real thick as I let it simmer to reduce it down a bit. I do this so when I reheat it to use on pasta I usually add a small laddle of the salted pasta water to it to thin in out a bit. I learned how to make this from my grandmother and to this day it is an easy sauce to make with all the flavor one would expect from any Italian red gravy. I also cook meat balls and sausage in this sauce sometimes or if I have it made will put what I need into a pan and heat it up to a low simmer then add the balls or sausage partially cooked.

Looks good Mama! And I think I have most of that on hand as is!

Good post, Mama. I love the pic with the spices all floating there, too.

I've started making my own sauce and don't add water. Is there a benefit of using water, or maybe am I wasting a big can of whatever tomato product I'm using? Usually I use a big can of puree or sauce, and a big can of crushed/diced or similar (I've noticed it varies between makers). And no paste. I'm still trying to figure out the little "nuances". And on the same note, but different (lol), I never add water to my chili anymore either, just canned tomato products. Am I missing the boat here?

Thanks

The paste is basically a thickener to hold it all together. I don't use water but the small cans of tomato paste with a dry red wine or white wine, really what I have on hand. Crushed, diced, whole shouldn't make much difference other than volume. I like two whole and one diced but have left out the diced or one and one with little difference in taste. I use nothing but canned tomatoes myself for sauces but only one brand for pasta sauces. For example I use the Rotel for Mexican or Cajun while only San Marzano for pasta sauces. I suggest you find what you like and nail it down as I did and I'm sure Mama did. It is as different even in Italy as I've seen meat sauces there made using creme which I personally don't care for.

chowhound said:

Good post, Mama. I love the pic with the spices all floating there, too.

I've started making my own sauce and don't add water. Is there a benefit of using water, or maybe am I wasting a big can of whatever tomato product I'm using? Usually I use a big can of puree or sauce, and a big can of crushed/diced or similar (I've noticed it varies between makers). And no paste. I'm still trying to figure out the little "nuances". And on the same note, but different (lol), I never add water to my chili anymore either, just canned tomato products. Am I missing the boat here?

Thanks

Click to expand...

I only add a half a cup of water and that is because of the tomato paste. I think the paste adds a richer taste to the sauce and also helps to thicken it. I actually add a second can of tomato paste to this sauce if I am making lasagna where I want a really thick and rich sauce:
But, it's really just a matter of taste.