cooking Spaghetti Sauce

[Ashen]

Hiya Ashen, was just asking about pasta sauces in general.

I think this is the sauce you mentioned: Nonna's Sugo:

Authentic Italian Tomato Sauce

This Authentic Italian Tomato Sauce with Osso Buco is Italy in a pot! The aroma of this sauce simmering on the stove is perfection.

themodernnonna.com

Cheers!

no sugo just means sauce in Italian.

Suga is trevisani dialect and my Nonna's suga is very different from that sauce you linked .

when I have time I will dig out the recipe book my Mom made and take a picture of the recipe to post here.

Italian cooking is hyper regional, traditional Norther very different than Central to Southern but even those regions there are differences between villages kilometers apart.

 

[Voodoo 6]

I completely understand, and apologize. Looking forward to your Mom's recipe!

Cheers!

 

[RobStar]

Very true what Ashen says - cooking the world over is regional. And within those regions every household has their own taste!

The only sauce (actually a Ragu!) that has an official recipe is Ragu Bolognese. I think carbonara might also. Other than that it's what you want to add. There's no right or wrong - I prefer proper Bolognese because it's easy and it's to my taste. Ditto Putanesca. Then again I prefer my sauce to be meaty/fatty rather than marinara-like. It all comes down to personal taste. Cook what tastes right for you. Food is supposed to be enjoyable.

In the words of Chef John: "And as always, enjoy"

 

[HellfireFarm]

As far as fennel goes, I was thinking more along the lines of an Italian sausage flavor.

Fennel makes me nauseous for some reason, so I make my own Italian sausage using Anise instead. Flavor is pretty close but without the reaction.

 

[Ashen]

I completely understand, and apologize. Looking forward to your Mom's recipe!

Cheers!

I haven't forgotten, I will it up over the xmas break.

I actually made a batch today.

it's my Nonna's recipe, although recipe is a little misleading as I doubt she ever considered writing anything down .

She was my Father's mother,and taught my Mom to cook the family dishes he grew up with after they got married ,as she was worried his Canadian wife wouldn't feed him properly.

Taught her just by demonstration and verbal . No definite amounts, just eyeball measure really.

My mom wanted to preserve as much of that family history as possible and made a family cookbook for us, even so many of the "recipes " are more a vibe than precise instruction.

I actually learned to make that sauce from my Dad as I was growing up the same way.

observing, smelling,tasting etc

 

[paulbaker]

So, I found myself staring at all the spaghetti sauces in the local market, and the prices ranged from $3.29 to about $9.00. Was wondering what ingredients make a sauce truly incredible. Example: the base for green Chile stew is green Chile, potatoes, and meat. In the Spaghetti realm, there is tomatoes, and I don't know what else. I had heard ingredients like fennel, cocoa, and sugar, and vinegar are being used to make a sauce. Those sound really weird except fennel.

You all ever had a spaghetti sauce that blew you away?

Cheers!

Hey there! I feel you on the spaghetti sauce struggle. $3.29 to $9 for a jar is enough to make your head spin – and not the spicy garlic kind!

To be honest, tomatoes are the MVP, but what really throws a Hail Mary to flavor town is the supporting cast. Fennel is legit – adds this sweet licoricey depth that's amazing with sausage. Cocoa? I haven't tried it, but hey, chocolate and tomatoes are kinda cousins in the nightshade family, so maybe there's magic there! Sugar makes sense for balancing acidity, and vinegar can perk things up, but yeah, some of those ingredients make you raise an eyebrow.

The best sauce I ever had wasn't from a jar, actually. This tiny Italian grandma in my old neighborhood whipped up a batch with fresh tomatoes, slow-cooked until they practically melted into sauce, along with garlic, onions, and this crazy mix of herbs I could never quite identify. It was pure, simple, and soul-satisfying.

Maybe hit up a legit Asian food store for some inspo? They usually have these amazing fermented bean pastes – like doubanjiang from China or gochujang from Korea – that add this funky umami punch that'll knock your socks off. Or grab some fresh Thai chilies for a spicy kick. Whatever you do, ditch the jar and get saucy!

 

[HellfireFarm]

Fennel is legit – adds this sweet licoricey depth that's amazing with sausage.

Or anise if you're like me and are averse to fennel.

Cocoa? I haven't tried it, but hey, chocolate and tomatoes are kinda cousins in the nightshade family, so maybe there's magic there!

I don't know about spaghetti sauce, but it's not uncommon in chili and many Mexican sauces (mole)

Maybe hit up a legit Asian food store for some inspo? They usually have these amazing fermented bean pastes – like doubanjiang from China or gochujang from Korea – that add this funky umami punch that'll knock your socks off. Or grab some fresh Thai chilies for a spicy kick. Whatever you do, ditch the jar and get saucy!

Another option for umami is worchestershire, (or fish sauce) but you have to be cautious with its use. I often add mushroom powder.