Jar Pasta Sauce

Aldi!

Bello Organic Marinara.

Rao's. Not even an argument, anyone who tells you otherwise is wrong.

Is this over strained or unstrained pasta?

I can highly recommend Victoria Fra Diavolo as a spicy base sauce to customize.

I can usually find it on sale.

Tj’s vodka sauce!

Make your own, you lazy puttanesca!

Trader Joe’s “Trader Giotto’s” Three Cheese Pomodoro also makes a good base.

Another vote for Rao's!

Rao's. But I prefer jarred pestos or tapenade with olive oil from my selections of oils.

Michael's is good, but too pricey. I'll only get it on sale.

Most have loads of added sugar or HFCS, even the good brands have fancy sugar like 'evaporate cane juice'. They are garbage.

Exactly what I love about Rao's r12, the ingredients are just what you would use if you were making a sauce at home. No added sugar, no weird chemicals.

I've never had one that really made me stop and say, "What IS this delicacy??"

Classico

Another vote for Rao's, especially the Marinara.

I suggested Rao's which is good. That said, I don't mind something average and industrial like Barilla because its tasty junk food - white pasta, jar sauce, grated parm (at least get a decent parm) and fresh ground pepper, maybe some pork fat - lardons or something, oil. Its very satisfying comfort food. Almost as good with whole grain pasta. Its the sugar and salt in those average brands - tasty.

R11, Michael's looks so watery though.

i have wanted to try raos but i am too cheap to spend $10 on a jar of sugo. even on sale it is too expensive.

hmmmm where IS my grandmas recipe?? other than the 'imported' stuff all of us have this in our hovels. although what's that one particular brand of imported tomatoes from italy that is supposedly to die for....to lazy to look it up. white label i think....

R17 I once was fond of Barilla too, especially the tortellini from Italy. After learning how anti-gay the owners of the company are, I boycott them. I even succeeded in getting friends and family onboard too. I'd rather eat Ragu or Aldi sauce than give them money.

Prego's Low Sodium. In massive double packs at Costco. Friggin delicious.

I go with a cheap can of Hunt's Traditional Pasta Sauce and stop by the store's salad bar to pick up a few items to make it more interesting.

Whole Foods brand tomato and basil is a good basic sauce.

Barilla restored their reputation in Europe but I don't know the details. We had a gay boycott of it here to but its over.

Aldi, its only 1 dollar something.

Why would anyone end a boycott unless it was a clearly superior or rare product just because they put a PR team on it? Just because the evil is silenced doesn't mean it isn't still there.

you mean you buy a jar of tomato sauce instead of making your own??? It takes 10 minutes and it's dirty cheap to make a marinara in your kitchen. Jesus christ.

I boycotted McDonald's for many many years because the Krocs gave Nixon $100,000. That killed me cause back then I loved those fries.

Surprised you are still alive. How much money has your cardiologist made off of you and your fry addiction?

Rao’s. The other supermarket brands taste like dessert, they have so much sugar in them.

Rao’s goes on sale frequently and it’s worth it.

I usually make my own in a big batch and freeze it, but I really like the Original Jersey Italian Gravy (specifically their Sunday Gravy and Bolognese). As with Rao's, there are no junk ingredients and it is about the same price (so it is semi-expensive). I actually like Rao's, but my partner doesn't care for it for some reason and he really likes Original Jersey.

My go-to easy red sace meal is Jersey Italian Gravy, meatballs, good pasta from Italy, Parm. Reg. and fresh basil.

Okay....this is opening up a tidlewave, I know....but what do I add to jarred sauce? Browned meat, onions, garlic, and a little carrot?

I guess I could make nigela lawson's meatballs, which are good...but I might not be up to it : (

--------------------------------------------------------

9 oz. ground pork

9 oz. ground beef

1 egg

2 tablespoons freshly grated Parmesan cheese

1 garlic clove, minced

1 teaspoon dried oregano

3 tablespoons fine breadcrumbs

Good grind of black pepper

1-teaspoon salt

Mix all ingredients in a bowl, roll into small balls.

Either gently fry in olive oil, or submerge in tomato sauce and simmer for 20 minutes with lid partially covered.

Barilla's putanesca is good for a bottled sauce, it's not sweet like the really awful ones.

Well, it really is better to make your own sauce and it takes about 15 minutes. But does anybody remember Aunt Millie's? A childhood fave.

R24 What happened here was very strange. An advertising company ran a few commercials with two men and a young girl, cooking and savouring their pasta. Barilla pulled the adverts, and unceremoniously fired the ad agency because they were a traditional family values company, and the offending commercial could have been construed as a gay couple raising a child. The outlandish assumption (could they not have been cousins, brothers, or friends, or brothers -in-law?) they "appeared " gay is so homophobic, but they dug their grave even deeper by hyper defensively stating it was not meant to be a gay couple. There must be some serious disconnect between Italy and Bannockburn Illinois, because I see no repair to their reputation in the states. They came out and said they support the traditional family. Fuck Barilla. The crap they peddle is rubbish now anyway since it is made here with American wheat and American tomatoes.

My Barilla is made in Italy. I buy it in Switzerland. Whatever. Nobody is forcing you to buy it.

Rao's. I used to buy Mario Batali sauce, it tastes very similar to rao's.

i like Newmans own, and Giada's is okay. i've only seen it at Target.

Newman's is good. No added sugar or sweetener of any kind. And profits go to charity.

R36 Only the dried tortelloni/tortellini available in the US is imported now. Trust me, especially living in Switzerland, you would NOT be buying it either! I cannot support companies like this, or Dolce & Gabana. If they make their prejudices as plain as the knob on the door, I cannot buy their products.

Another vote for Newman’s Own.

Mezzetta's Napa Valley Marinara is a good one.

I choose Newman's "Sockaronni" for all dishes involving pasta, drained or otherwise.

Newman's Own is sweet as hell! It has twice the amount of sugar as say Rao's or Trader Giotti's (my go to when I am feeling to cheap for spring for Rao's).

And I will also give them more love. If you want a cheap sauce that still tastes like a pasta sauce should, the best I've found is the trader joes brand (Trader Giotto's Marinara)

I used to be awfully fond of The Silver Palate, but hard to find now. I had stocked up this past winter. Spendy, but really good.

Newman's Own Organic Tomato Basil sauce contains -

Ingredients: Diced Organic Tomatoes In Organic Tomato Puree, Organic Extra Virgin Olive Oil, Organic Basil, Organic Onion, Water, Organic Carrot Puree, Sea Salt, Organic Garlic, Organic Black Pepper.

What’s the best for putanesca?

Have you tasted it r46? You can taste the unusual sweetness.

Newman's Own has 7 grams of sugar per 1/2 cup. They are clearly sneaking sugar in somewhere. The brands I buy have 3gm of sugar for the same sized serving.

it could possibly be the carrot puree making it sweet--even when i make my own sauce i add a little sugar to cut the acidity

R49 I'm in agreement- I was born and raised in Italy. We don't use carrot (Naples).

I agree r43, Sockarooni is one of the better ones, but if you want to take the time and effort, most jarred and, dare I say it, canned, sauces require "doctoring up". The best sauces are the ones you make yourself to your own taste. I have one Italian cookbook that recommends finely chopped celery, carrot, garlic and onion sauteed briefly in a nice amount of olive oil then adding the tomatoes, tomato sauce and paste for a vegetarian sauce--bay leaf, oregano, parsley(fresh parsley, and I'm sure you all know not to cook parsley too much) and basil are added as seasoning plus s+p to taste. Jarred sauces are sort of meant to be "played around" with, especially if you have the time and inclination. I think many of the more expensive jarred sauces will end up as disappointments for the money you spend.

I rarely buy jarred because it's so easy to make it from scratch but I always add butter. I learned this from the Italian grandmother of my best friend when we were kids. She wouldn't share most of her secrets but she told me that was one her grandmother taught her.

Delgrosso's Sunday Marinara & Rao's. However, many chain supermarkets carry reasonably priced imported sauces made in Italy. Check the labels, those made in Italy are usually far less sweet than what is made in the US, mostly basic simple ingredients, and taste more like what you might find in a sauce in Italy.

My mom always made 20 quart pots of her own homemade sauce, and canned it.

That was my #1 choice, hands down.

Prego Traditional and Mama Mancini meatballs.

r52, I sometimes use butter and olive oil together in various ratios, which I have read in Ada Boni's "Talisman Italian Cookbook" is supposedly more of a northern Italian characteristic in cooking.

Cadia red wine pasta sauce

Rao’s hands down. Use the marinara version as a base. Brown some ground beef/lamb/chicken/pork and add it to make a simple meat sauce. Or add sautéed zucchini and eggplant, grilled sausage, sautéed onions, your own meatballs...

I like Mezzatte. I love this one with Italian Chili. I like this for pizza. If I am having company, I have to make my own homemade salsa for pasta.

Rao's for the win.

Aldi is cheap and you get what you pay for. Inedible.

I like Classico sausage occasionally. I only have it once in awhile because, although it’s free of corn syrup, the salt level could put many in a coma.

Add orange zest and saffron to tart up jarred tomato-based sauce.

I sometimes buy the cheap stuff and add some red wine and sautéed mushrooms, maybe more garlic and Italian seasoning. But it's pretty easy to just take a large can of good quality crushed tomatoes, add it to some sautéed onions and garlic, wine, oregano (and/or other herbs), and simmer for a little while.

I do like Rao's as well, but I will only buy it when it's on sale -- and even then it's usually over $6.

Classico Marinara with Plum Tomatoes. I Doctor it up by softening onions in olive oil, adding garlic, red pepper flakes and a squeeze of tomato paste. Then add a splasH of Marsala. Reduce and then add the Classico. A pat of butter at the end.

I think this sauce was Americas Test Kitchens choice too a few years back.

Sauté onions, garlic, green pepper, mushroom, add store bought sauce, add basil. Let simmer.

Paesano marinara it is super low sugar and tasty enough that I don't feel bad about buying jarred. Found in Shoprite market in Connecticut .

You must really want to treat yourself at $6/jar r64. If Rao's is all it's cracked up to be here, I might give it a try one day when it's on sale. But I'm blaming you bitches if it turns out to be a dud. Anyway, I would never pay any more than about $3 max for any jar of simple tomato based spaghetti sauce. And yes, it's really better to make your own. Jarred sauces are only for hurry-up meals when you are short of time. I will say this, and will probably be picked apart up one side and down the other--if you make a pizza crust, say, in the bread machine or buy a Boboli crust, if you have some leftover jarred sauce in the fridge and want to use it up, it's great on either bought or home made crust. Just add some cheese or whatever else you want on top and bake until bubbly and slightly brown.

To everyone wildly enthusiastic.about Rao's, I hope you realize that you helped make Vanessa Trump's family Mega millionaires.

Yes, r69 but that only helped her to leave Trump jr so I see this as a good thing.

A big splash of dry vermouth really helps a jarred sauce.

Or red wine (white will do in a pinch) r71. I also sometimes add a few capers and/or a few anchovy filets and let it simmer into the sauce. BTW, has anyone ever heard of adding one whole pork chop, bone and all to a spaghetti meat sauce you are simmering for a couple hours? I have never tried it, but heard it from somewhere as a kid and am now 64, so it must be an old idea.

Trust

R71--funny you mention vermouth. there was a bar i used to go to years ago and they served lunch. best freaking meatloaf i have ever had and i got the recipe. there is vermouth in it.......but i don't buy that much meat and i don't think you can just buy a small bottle of vermouth...what is it about that stuff??

Julia Child used it for lots of things r74, but she made an oblique reference to Gallo not being a brand of vermouth to use for cooking, she recommended French vermouth which of course is way more expensive. I've tried splurging on the "better" stuff for martinis and I can't tell the difference so I'm sticking with Gallo.

PATSY'S anything. Their putanesca is so good you can eat it with a fork.

Prego is better than what I can make.

My grandfather frequently added roasted chicken, beef or pork to his sauce. The sauce was always great, and everyone tried to lay claim to the meat that simmered in the sauce. Italian sausage and meatballs were always served with pasta and sauce.

Life was good in Little Italy.

I'm pretty sure I've tried Rao's and wasn't impressed. I'm willing to try again based on these comments. I liked Michael's and will buy on sale.

Rao's!

You can make a very good marinara sauce if you start with a can of Cento San Marzano peeled tomatoes, available at Trader Joe's.

The cheapest one at Trader Joe's is the best one that I've found anywhere. It's an amazing value. I can buy 3 big jars for the price of one overpriced gourmet sauce.

I've tried the expensive sauces and I haven't found one that is worth the money.

If I recall r82 I have tried Trader Joe's brand and was favorably impressed, thank you for reminding me. I think next time I'm there I will pick up a jar to have on hand.

Mid's sausage

R72, it was the evil Lydia Bastianich that convinced me to add anchovies to my sauce. I am not a big fan of fish, but I tried it and she was absolutely right, it melts into the sauce and adds a depth to the flavor, while not adding a fishy taste.

Rao's Marinara and Vincent's Original Homemade

Mid's sauce out of Youngstown, Ohio- I like the meat version. -- strictly old school sauce like the Italian mama on the block had simmering all day - this stuff is so thick you have to spoon it out of the jar - highly recommended-------

Paul Newman

TJ's Barolo marinara...outstanding

[quote]”What IS this delicacy??"

Marinara-y!!

Newman's adds a shit ton of sugar via carrot puree. The carrot puree has sugar but this allows them to say 'no added' sugar since it is in an ingredient and not added to the final product. Tastes like tomato frosting.

I'm with the make-your-own crowd. By the time you have doctored up a store-bought sauce with fancy ingredients, you could have made your own. Heat olive oil and butter in a pan, saute a finely diced onion until pieces are translucent, throw in some garlic at the last second, add a little Italian seasoning, or just some basil, put in a can of crushed tomatoes, maybe a can of tomato paste, maybe a can of stewed tomatoes, breaking up big pieces. Simmer for 15 minutes to blend flavors and voila, you're done. If you want to make a meat sauce, brown the meat first, pour off the excess grease, then add the diced onion and proceed as above. Make it while you're boiling the water for the pasta..... It's not rocket science.

Stonewall Kitchen's vodka sauce is expensive but really good. I've tried the other vodka sauces (even Rao's) and this one is the best.

All mentioned here are fine. Just toss in a few fresh chopped tomatoes and basil to customize it.

Rao’s won a Chicago Tribune taste off.

Chicago. Taste. Hmmm.

A word of caution with Rao's - use ONLY the marinara. There are other varieties, but they're all inferior to the basic marinara.

R85, I have a little tube of anchovy paste and love to add it to salad dressings. It does add a little umami kind of flavor, and no one ever guesses why my dressing is so tasty. Also, nutritional yeast; I guess it’s somehow related to MSG or something. Whatever. It makes savory sauces tastier.

R95 Have you ever been to Chicago? Food & Wine just declared we have the best restaurant in the WORLD: Alinea! We also have twenty-five other Michelin starred restaurants. We are considered to be in the top three culinary hotspots in the entire country. Do not for a minute think we do not know great cuisine. We also have some of the best culinary schools as well. Perhaps you ought to pay us a visit?

^ meant for R96

[quote]I have a little tube of anchovy paste and love to add it to salad dressings.

I add it to my douche.

All over Italy it's done like this and you can make it in the time the water boils and the pasta cooks:

Chop a clove of garlic. Saute in olive oil until it's golden. Add a can of peeled whole tomato. A splash of water if you need to.

Mash the tomato with the back of a spoon. Salt properly. Add fresh basil if you have it. A bit of hot pepper if you want to. Or some organo. Or some butter. Or nothing more.

Cook down until the oil separates from the tomato. About 20 minutes. Or you can cook it longer if you like. Or quicker if you raise the heat.

And there you have it. A simple basic tomato sauce.

Tomato sauce can be made all sorts of ways...with a base of carrot, onion, celery...etc and etc. but it's perfectly fine just like this.

Jar tomato sauce always seems to have a dreary dead taste. I'd never think of using it.

Ms. Cheryl, you are getting to be as déclassé and as revolting as Erna. Do you only post as your alter? If not, work on something else for awhile please. I don't wish to think of you when I'm enjoying my Bagna Cauda.

[quote] you mean you buy a jar of tomato sauce instead of making your own??? It takes 10 minutes and it's dirty cheap to make a marinara in your kitchen. Jesus christ.

You're absolutely right to react the way you just did.

Global warming, ISIS, immigrant children torn from their parents' arms and put into concentration camps in south Texas: but this is the worst.

Dry vermouth keeps a very long time in the refrigerator.

^That’s why I always have it available to add to pasta sauce.

Also: for the most part, you make tomato sauce in a pan.... not a pot. Americans always get that wrong.

The wide pan allows the tomato to cook down better. The pasta then gets tossed in the pan.

Meat sauces and so forth use a pot... but for a simple tomato sauce, you want to make it in a pan.

I have read on Serious Eats that Red Pack or Red Gold canned tomatoes are very good.

R102

Some parts of Italy have no tomatoes and it is unlikely to be done at all in those regions. Italy is 1000 places and they one thing they have in common, is that they have so little in common.

[QUOTE]Global warming, ISIS, immigrant children torn from their parents' arms and put into concentration camps in south Texas: but this is the worst.

And eating sauce from a jar is what's going to save us the world?

Del Monte 4 Cheese

I generally get whatever the simplest generic grocery store brand is because I am adding a bunch of my own stuff anyway. To the jar sauce I'll add things like meat, veggies, spices, Worcestershire sauce, anchovy paste, wine, pasta water, etc whatever it needs.

R107 You are one clever biscotti! I see chefs (on TV) trying to reduce in ridiculously large deep vessels, when a shallow pan is so much more effective and quicker!

R113. Biscotti is plural. r107 may be one clever biscotto.

Some might be healthier than others, made with real and quality ingredients, but they all taste like jar sauce. Nothing tastes like homemade and it's one of the easiest things to make. It freezes beautifully so you can make a huge batch and have enough for months.

True.

Most of these jarred sauces are suspiciously orange in color. Anyone who knows Italy or who appreciates real Italian food knows a tomato sauce should be red.

Generally speaking, I hate them all and how long does it really take to saute some fresh garlic slices in olive oil and then throw in a decent can of tomatoes? A little salt, red pepper flakes and a sprig of basil (or bay leaves, dried oregano or all the above). But, if I am lazy (or out of supplies) - this very inexpensive jarred brand is the only one that I keep around the house. It honestly works - particularly in a lasagna (a lazy one) or some baked pasta dish. It costs less than $2. Do NOT buy the slightly pricier organic one - it is no good.

Hmm, maybe the Red Gold/Red Pack canned tomatoes were for pizza sauce.

So never mind.

Hunts at Dollar Tree.

R108/R118 For what it's worth, ATK (Cooks Illustrated folks) had your brand one year, and not the next or another year. I have seen the same happen with Muir Glen, one year a winner, one year ranked at the very bottom. It could be the crop, or how ripe they were when canned. I'm not as picky as Ina Garten about every ingredient, but real San Marzanos from Italy are the only reliable option if you want the very best. One can get them affordably on sale, and at Italian markets. Stock up!

R114 Grazie Mille

It's called gravy, not sauce.

This thread is making me fucking hungry.

R122, you from Jersey?

r124 I am not r122, but I am from Jersey (suburbs of Newark), and I never, ever heard it called "gravy" until I was an adult. And I ate a fuckload of it, all my life.

If we are just talking tomatoes and not a jarred "sauce", Pomi are the very best IMO (for the chopped). I usually use whole tomatoes. I have tried all of the Italian brands of San Marzano tomatoes and most leave me thinking "blah". There is a tariff that most Italian brands try to get around by packing them in puree instead of juice. I just don't usually care for that flavor or texture. Whole Foods carries a great whole tomato (365 Whole Peeled Tomatoes - 28 oz can). Hard to beat!

The 365 whole tomatoes:

Classico is pretty decent for store bought, but I find way too many of these sauces have way too much sugar and/or corn syrup. I try to make my own.

I usually buy the Classico three pack at Costco. I tried the Victoria, which they also sell, I didn't like it at all.

I've yet to find a can of San Marzanos I like more than Cento's Whole Peeled Tomatoes. I buy them whole, then for most recipes, pulse them five times in the Cuisinart. E voilà.

I make my own. Whole peeled + crushed tomatoes, a combo of onion, garlic, celery and carrots, a little tomato paste to thicken, salt, pepper + herbs; anchovy filets, butter to finish. And of course the meat juices add to the flavor.

I'm not a fan of chunks of tomato in my sauce, so I prefer canned crushed tomatoes to whole ones.

Actually, was has worked well for me when using San Marzano tomatoes is to remove the whole tomato and discard the puree it is packed in (the puree tastes both "dull" and "muddy" to many). This way you do get the excellent flavor of the prized Italian fruit - but it does leave quite a bit of waste (American tomatoes are usually canned with juice that can be used in cooking). And R 131 - you can always use an immersion blender to smooth out your sauce after simmering.

Hunt's.

[quote]Some parts of Italy have no tomatoes and it is unlikely to be done at all in those regions. Italy is 1000 places and they one thing they have in common, is that they have so little in common.

Along with regional specialties, pasta with tomato sauce is eaten in all regions of Italy. From North to South.

[quote]If we are just talking tomatoes and not a jarred "sauce", Pomi are the very best IMO

Pomi is actually a quality brand.

I don't know if the US Pomi is imported from Italy or not but the genuine stuff is good. Personally I prefer whole canned tomatoes but if I couldn't get them I'd have no problem using Pomi. They also have a line of "passata" from organic tomatoes.

R126 Thanks for the recommendation, and I may try your brand just to ascertain the difference. I find the San Marzano more consistently reliable and good, as I don't honestly hold American tomatoes in high regard. In Britain, many chefs and cookbook authors insist on passata (purée) when making an Italian sauce. (my mum was trained as a chef too) I didn't realise the juice alone has a different flavour.

Rao's is fabulous but very rich

Growing up, I used to use ketchup. I has no idea there was something called pasta sauce

Classico is my favorite brand.

R17 it make you feel good, but boycotting Barilla won't hurt their bottom line.

Rao's for sure

R11 is this the sauce from Michael's of Brooklyn at Nostrand and Avenue R?

R140, don't care about Barilla's bottom line. Boycotting Barilla is my choice for me.

I’ve seen the Patsy’s sauces.

This thread has convinced me to give them a try.

Ketchup! When my dad was "cooking," you had 2 choices - elbow macaroni with American Cheese, or with ketchup. He called it Army food. I still make them both on occasion.

Speaking of Barilla, I love their pipette shape for homemade macaroni and cheese.

Really holds and scoops up the sauce while providing good texture.

It can be hard to find, although Harris Teeter stocks it near me.

The end is pinched, so it holds a lot of sauce.

R140 I was the bloke who kvetched about Barilla. (not R17) It doesn't make me feel better about anything; what a craptastic thing to say. The quality is no longer the same anyway here living in the states. If you're in Switzerland you have not tasted the crap made in Bannockburn Illinois! Stop bloody defending them. Are you related to the damn family in some way? Many of us just like having the choice of whom to do business with; it has nothing to do with their bottom line or how rich the family may be. They're shits, and they're making shit quality food in America now. I'll stick with my San Marzanos, or try the Pomi. Barilla can keep all their faux Italian made in Illinois crap for someone else.

Should I compile a gratitude list, per the latest "depression" thread, I shall definitely include not growing up in r138 or r145's household.

Good on you R143. Cheers mate. It tastes like crap now too. We're not missing out on anything here in the states. Fuck Barilla.

I still like Batali's basic sauce, even though I hear he is a pig.

Currently, I have a jar of Batali's, a jar of Victoria, and a can of Cento sitting on my counter, waiting for dinner tonight. Since I'm going to use onion, mushroom, and fresh basil anyway, I might just make my own sauce with the Cento.

I have a question: I'm having steak and peas, served over tagliatelle or fettuccine. Should I make the red sauce or a cream-based sauce? I would appreciate any suggestions, mes amis.

[quote][R11] is this the sauce from Michael's of Brooklyn at Nostrand and Avenue R?

That's the one, yes.

How are you planning to cook the steak, r151?

R153, I'm going to grill it and then serve it in slices, but I'm open to suggestions.

I never buy Barilla. Not because of the gay thing... but because it's a low priced supermarket brand that has no flavour and doesn't hold it's "al dente" level of doneness the way I like.

De Cecco is widely available and it's high quality.

I concur R155! Love De Cecco and others. American Barilla does not use that same quality of semolina, it may not even be 100% Durum wheat. Let homophobes with no palate buy Barilla.

De Cecco and Mueller's are both really decent dried pasta brands that I keep handy. I never ever did like Barilla personally - and that was before knowing about the assholes who run the company. They make an inferior product.

R154, I wouldn't serve it with tomato sauce. I would cook up the onion and mushroom in a mixture of cream and chicken stock, covered, until they are soft. Finish with white wine if you like.

Grill your steak. Slice your steak after letting it rest for 10 minutes.

Cook your peas separately, and your pasta. When everything is ready, assemble pasta, peas, and basil in the pan in which your sauce has been cooking.

Top tossed pasta dish with your sliced steak.

What am I, chopped livah?

R154 I think you ought to be really decadent. At first I thought the cream may be too heavy with steak in the heat, but then thought of your peas and mushrooms. Why not a tomato cream? Very light with butter... the peas shall complement the cream, and the cream shall play up the funghi. I would add a splash of Cognac or Marsala, and possibly some truffle oil. Bit of fresh parsley on top for brightness.

DO NOT use truffle oil unless you know you like it.

DO NOT use any truffle oil you haven't tasted first.

All good precautions R161. A bit goes a long way. I was thinking the white, and only 3-4 drops really.

Barilla can be good to OK. There are much better pastas, but it is often the best pasta to be found in American grocery chains. I got my Italian mother to give it up during the antigay fiasco, but did they not issue an apology?

R161- I TOTALLY agree!

Parmigiano-Reggiano or Grana Padano too R154... I almost forgot! I would not slice the steak either, unless you are splitting one steak for two people.

Both suggestions sound divine. Thank you R158 and R160.

I believe I will go with the cream/chicken stock recipe as I don't know how to make tomato cream. Would I just substitute the tomato sauce for the chicken stock?

I have no truffle oil, but I will heed the warnings in the future.

And cheese! I forgot the cheese. Must text husband!

We have parmesan! Thanks for the reminder, R165.

Yes, we are splitting the steak.

[quote]I've yet to find a can of San Marzanos I like more than Cento's Whole Peeled Tomatoes. I buy them whole, then for most recipes, pulse them five times in the Cuisinart. E voilà.

You should never use a food processor. Italians crush the whole tomatoes with their hands. That's the only way to do it.

Topping pasta with sliced steak...or chicken ...or whatever... a totally suburban American invention.

A good steak should be savoured on it's own. Not with mouthfuls of pasta.

Yes, do NOT forget the Parmigiano-Reggiano.

[quote]You should never use a food processor. Italians crush the whole tomatoes with their hands. That's the only way to do it.

I did that for years. I prefer the not-get-the-tomatoes-all-over-my-shirt quality of doing it in the Cuisinart. I only have so many red shirts.

[quote]Italians crush the whole tomatoes with their hands.

Yes, they do in Hollywood films.

But in reality we use a fork.

Don’t listen to that person (whom I always block on these threads) who insists he knows the one and only way to cook Italian food. No wonder the economy in Italy is so anemic - they are held hostage by the idea that everything must be done traditionally, and have an inability to improvise, come up with new ideas, or think outside the box.

Also, r168, I pulse rather than puree.

Tomato cream can be as rich or as light as you like. Try adding a bit of cream until you get a nice medium coral colour. Perhaps begin with a quarter cup to start with... You could always add more. Depends on how much sauce you plan to make really. More often than not, I don't use a recipe, but try this ratio... 1 & 1/2 lbs tomatoes, or 16 Oz to 1/2 Cup cream... No stock... add about 1/2 cup grated cheese. Begin with your oil and spices, and aromatics, tomatoes.... Then add heavy cream last. Simmer gently 2-3 minutes to heat cream, add cheese, but then turn off gas, stir and let it come together a few more minutes, stirring often. Add peas last too... 2TBS butter. I would sautée the mushrooms to your liking with garlic and the cognac/wine/marsala/vermouth, then add back later toward the end so they are not destroyed.

Sounds lovely, R175. I think I'll give it a try.

Ssounds more complicated than it is R176. The Italian fellow shall probably correct me, but believe it is Parma Rossa or Rosa in Italian. Buon Appetito! Hope you like! Just don't simmer butter & cheese on the flame, or texture may suffer. With heavy cream, it probably won't "break" or seperate. Don:'t be healthy and use 1/2&1/2!

butter and MSG? Don't knock it til you try it!

Thank you, R177 (R175). No heat after butter and cheese. Oh, that's why it gets grainy!

Yes SF bloke. Only heat cream 2-3 min with low-med flame. The cheese & butter give a better texture that way. There will be enough heat especially if you use a good heavy pot. Your tomatoes and spices, garlic onion, etc will have already cooked, so there will be enough residual heat. Many French and Italians turn off the flame before adding. Your tomatoes can remain a bit chunky if you like too. You do not have to strive for complete purée. Please do not forget the Italian flat-leaf parsley either. You will need the brightness to balance the richness. Add whatever wine you are using to those mushrooms. Heavy cream is always more foolproof for the texture too.

Newman's Own Sockarooni is probably the boldest jarred sauce I've tried. I won't make lasagne without it.

For everyday use over spaghetti, it's usually Trader Joe's marinara.

[quote]Growing up, I used to use ketchup.

Have you tried in on cottage cheese?

I almost always use Pecorino Romano (Trader Joe's, pre-grated) in lieu of Parmigiano. I like the stronger flavor.

Sheep's milk Romano, or cow's milk R183? I love a good sheep's milk Romano, but one cannot use as much as Parmigiano as it is much saltier.

Thanks to all for the master class in making tomato cream. I'm sure it will be a hit.

Wyou're welcome SF! Have you made a cream sauce or Alfredo before?

You may be prepping SF bloke, and I need to dash to the market for my chicken curry dinner's ingredients, just don't cook it too long! Remember cream with flame bout 3 minutes, add cheese, stir really well, turn off flame, add butter and stir and let it come together maybe another 5 minutes or so... You will want to serve within 8-10 minutes after you've added the cream. This will definitely be enough for a pound of pasta. Please post again with your results!

Why do you have to complicate things? If you want to make a "sugo rosè", just stir some heavy cream into a simple tomato sauce. Let cook and thicken for a few minutes.

(These cream dishes are the kind of thing tourists eat in hotel restaurants.)

Restaurant Roberto in Geneva. Very old school gravy.

I've not successfully made a cream sauce before, R186. Hence my Eureka Moment when graininess was mentioned. Now that I have learned the secret, I may get it right tonight.

I hope you enjoy your curry, R187, and I will post with my no-doubt resounding success!

Rao's Marinara. I just had spaghetti and meatballs cooked in this sauce and it really is delicious. Love mopping up the extra sauce with crisp Italian bread. I have tried all of the expensive brands as well as Newman's. Wasn't impressed with Michaels or The Meatball Shop. That sauce was loaded with salt. Newman's Sockarooni was just meh. I wanted to love it. Can't remember if Batali's was good or not so unmemorable at best. I think I will try the Jersey Gravy next.

After I learned how easy it was to make myself, I never bought another jar. I cheat and used canned tomatoes because the fresh ones around here are crap with no flavor for most of the year. That said, I'll buy a good brand of canned like Muir Glen fire-roasted. Some EVOO, red wine, all the stuff that Simon and Garfunkel sang about plus lots of basil and whole garlic and a spoon or two of a good tomato paste. I have people begging me to make it. Its maybe not as easy as opening a jar but opening a can is pretty damn easy and this is just a few more steps. I absolutely HATE peeling garlic, but it's critical - so I have one of those cheap rubber sleeve things that you can roll it around in and get most of the peeling off.

My issue with jar sauce is that most likely has sugar or some form of sweetner. Blechhhh.

Adapted NYT marinara recipe - as easy as opening the jar - come on. It's not that hard.... 1 28 ounce can crushed tomatoes, 1/4 cup olive oil, 4 cloves of garlic crushed, 1 tsp black pepper, 1 tsp salt, 1 tsp crushed oregano, 1 tablespoon crushed basil 1/4-1/2 tsp crushed red pepper (to taste). Pour the olive oil in a heavy sauce pan, over low heat add garlic and crushed red pepper and heat for a few minutes. After that add everything else and simmer over low heat 15-20 minutes (basically as long as it takes to bring a pot of water to a boil and cooking pasta al dente).

R 192 - I didn't see your post - did not mean to steal your thunder - the recipe you describe looks just as delicious and I agree with your premise - opening a can and making your own is not that much more difficult than opening a jar - and so much healthier because the food industry is poisoning all of us with SUGAR!

No worries, R192! Great minds think alike! I agree, nearly everything is loaded with disgusting sugar anymore. If I wanted sugar, I'd buy cookies.

Seriously, anyone who has not tried Pomi boxed tomatoes really should. These Italian tomatoes are BPA-free. The tomatoes are packaged without preservatives, additives, water or citric acid and the tomatoes are never grown with pesticides or genetically modified seeds. These are honestly the best tasting tomatoes that I have ever used in any sauce. They are not cheap, but are usually no more than the San Marzano canned varieties that are both packed in bad tasting puree and are also pasteurized. These two steps tend to ruin the tomato taste and are not necessary (done for tariff reasons, not safety or flavor). Your take away is a simple word.....POMI. :-)

Ah sweetie those tomatoes are UHT.

[quote]Growing up, I used to use ketchup. I has no idea there was something called pasta sauce

You sure can't be of Italian descent!

I used to purchase a great pasta from Italy, Campagna. My local supermarket carried if for years, then suddenly it was gone. I asked what was up, I was told their buyer couldn't get a good price on it any longer and they likely won't be carrying it again. In it's place, I've been buying Luigi Vitelli, another brand from Italy. They're pretty good, the pasta has a nice nutty taste.

I find most American pastas have a bland flavor and if you leave the American pasta in the water too long after it's cooked, it gets soggy, I don't have this problem with pasta from Italy.

It’d be nice just to do that, R92, but the problem is the canned ingredients. Everything I’ve found has a shit ton of salt in it. Not just a bit, a lot. If there are any suggestions on brands, much appreciated.

Tomato’s seem to bring out the worst for salt content. Yeah, I’ve got high blood pressure.

R200 - tomatoes are of course technically a fruit, but the vegetable that really demands salt is the humble potato. Talk about a ton of sodium - those guys are brutal and honestly not very edible without that sodium chloride. And yes, I love scalloped, mashed and baked potatoes as much as the rest of us do. I just make them rarely..

Does it have to be in a "jar." Mine choice is over in the fresh, refrigerated section in a plastic carton: Rana Marinara Sauce. The 15 oz. size is usually about $3.99 at Vons.

Any good sauce or recipe for cacciatore?

R188 I don't care, I like it nonetheless. I don't think cheese and butter ever spoilt any dish! (unless seafood based). I like simple more "traditional ones too, but love the Parma Rosa. I'm not Italian either!

R188 Please see R173's post.

R205 Everyone should be free to have an option. Are you the thread's hall monitor? The thread's school marm?

R206, in a word, yes. He is. He is particularly obsessed with those who repeat an answer that was presented 150 posts ago. Welcome to Datalounge.

R193 That is basically what I posted at R102. It is a standard tomato sauce in Italy.

The cooking shows, cook books and so forth seem to try to complicate everything. Tomato sauce for the most part is fast and easy ... no need for long cooking and all kinds of ingredients. From that basic method you can elaborate into all kinds of variations.

Also... since peak tomato season is so short, canned tomatoes are what is used through most of the year.

R206/R207 I was just defending my love of the dish, even though it may be gilding the lilly so to speak. In point of fact hall monitor became Italiano bloke a la Suisse, who had put down my dish claiming it to be tourist hotel bastardized food. Defending one's preference is not "hall- monitoring as you suppose it to be. I was glad to have the other's quote and advice to validate my POV simply. The SF bloke had certain ingredients, he probably had on hand and wanted to incorporate, hence the recommendation on the fly for the sauce. I have been kind to Italian national via suisse, accepted his corrections, praised other ideas, but I don't claim to be Italian, nor in Italy.

Rao's is overrated and over priced. NYC queens are sheeple and think the more it cost the better it mush be.

Furthermore you completely contradict yourself R206. The gent I had quoted R173 was arguing for the very same culinary freedom you are. Perhaps you need to read all the posts The swiss gent is telling us "no, this way, In italy... That's not traditional.... please be fair-minded doling out your criticism. And he's been quite troublesome trying to get us to love Barilla again! It is not happening in my kitchen!

Newman's Own

[quote]You should never use a food processor. Italians crush the whole tomatoes with their hands. That's the only way to do it.

Actually, I have a trick for that. In stead of squzzing them and getting that red sauce all over your shirt, do in while they are still in the can. Like a large 28 oz San Marzano size. Because they are still in the can liquid, they wont squirt all over you.

The traditional element for making pureeing tomatoes is the food mill. It separates the skin and seeds. Otherwise just mash the tomatoes in the pan with a fork or back of a spoon while they cook.

Surely this thread is only of interest to the Southern (Rome & South) types. Those people bleed tomato gravy.

Cultivated Northern Italians, who possess more varied and sophisticated palate, just laugh and laugh at the furor caused by discussion of commercial red gravy, made from a fruit that did not exist in Italy until the late 1500s.

Ironic, R201. A persons’ daily sodium needs are met, with the sodium contained with a potato. That’s what my GP has told me over the years.

Your GP is wrong R216. The facts around salt have been based largely on myth and bad assumptions. Even physician may find this hard to change after all these years but facts are facts and science on this is finally out.

Hello all. SF bloke here. I sauteed the onions and mushrooms in lots of butter and finished them off with a generous splash of white wine. I added chicken stock and let it cook down for a while. When the time was right, I took out the cream; curses! It was half-and-half! I poured in a generous amount of h-n-h anyway and stirred for a little while. Turned off the heat and added butter and parmesan cheese. It was very good. I can't wait to try it with actual cream.

Thanks to you all for your advice, suggestions, and support. I'm definitely trying the tomato cream in the near future.

By the way, I swear by rustichella d'abruzzo pasta. It's very toothsome and tasty.

R 203 check out below

R 217 I agree - had HBP for many years - finally lost weight thru a nutritionist with no consideration for salt and my HBP is gone. There might be some people who have HBP that is not weight dependent that may have to consider salt - but weight loss made my issue go away and I love salt!

[quote] I absolutely HATE peeling garlic

Have you ever tried the pre-peeled, refrigerated garlic? I just bought some yesterday for the first time -- looking forward to trying it. It's a little pricey (although not bad) but it is perishable. I've occasionally resorted to the jarred, chopped garlic, but it really doesn't taste the same.

[quote] I cheat and used canned tomatoes because the fresh ones around here are crap with no flavor for most of the year.

I don't think that's "cheating" at all. Most recipes call for canned tomatoes, since they're usually consistent and readily available.

To make homemade takes about an hour.

saute a large onion in olive oil until it sweats and softens, don't let it brown

slice a couple of cloves of garlic, add them until you can smell them, about a minute

add a teaspoon of Italian seasoning to the oil and onions and garlic to let it bloom, about 30 seconds

If you like a thicker sauce at this point add about half a small can of tomato paste, if not leave it out

optional, at this time add about 1/4 - 1/2 cup of red wine (real, not cooking wine)

Add two 28 oz. cans of whole tomatoes that you've squished with with your hands, Cento San Marzano tomatoes are, IMO, the best but the any store brand will do

Add 1 - 2 tsp of granulated sugar - depending on your taste

Add salt and pepper to taste

bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer

cover the pot but leave it a little askew so the steam can escape

let cook for about 45 minutes

taste again for salt

If you want to get fancy and you have it throw in the rind of a piece of Parmigiano Reggiano before you cover it

Forgot to add the best price I've found for the Cento tomatoes is at Costco. They come in a pack of 3 28 oz. cans, although believe it or not Whole Foods, at least the one near me has them for almost as cheap a price and you can buy only one or two cans if that's all you need.

How much butter, r52?

R222 I love those "Olive Garden" touches.

WTF is "Italian seasoning"? And 2 teaspoons of sugar?

And 1/2 of red wine in a tomato sauce? For what purpose?

I love you r225.

There's a reason most US-produced tomato sauces have sugar or some other sweetener in them. Several years ago, pH testing of US-grown tomatoes supposedly found that many of them were too high in pH to be safely canned. To ensure the pH was low enough to be safe, most canned tomatoes now contain citric acid. Citric acid is also called sour salt, and yes, it does indeed make the tomatoes and the products made with them more sour. In order to get a tasty sauce, the sourness has to be counteracted with some sort of sweetener - sugar, corn syrup, or carrots. 6-in-1 and Sclafani canned tomatoes don't have added citric acid, which is one of the reasons why 6-in-1 has such a cult following.

Due to soil and climate differences, US-grown tomatoes tend to be more sour tasting than Italian-grown tomatoes to begin with, and the additional citric acid just made it more so.

All cooked tomato products have a duller, less-fresh flavor than fresh tomatoes, because they've been cooked so long under high temperatures in the canning process. Adding a fresh tomato or two to the sauce helps a lot.

Personally, I generally prefer to shortcut with a decent tomato sauce and customize it. I start with canned tomatoes to make my pizza sauce, since that's a much simpler sauce where the tomato flavor predominates.

Do all you Rao's fans know that Vanessa Trump inherited a fortune from them?

[quote]WTF is "Italian seasoning"?

Can be found in EVERY supermarket in the country. (Even Aldi.) It's sort of the Italian-American version of herbes de Provence.

What is all this about squishing tomatoes with one’s hands? Is there something wrong with diced tomatoes?

[quote]Is there something wrong with diced tomatoes?

I don't like the texture. Too hard and pointy.

R225 and R229 - yes, it can be found anywhere, but please avoid it at all cost. This mixture of dried herbs is not a pleasant one. Dried basil to begin with is pretty dreck; fresh basil is one of the best herbs ever but it tastes terrible when dried (unlike oregano which is almost better dried than fresh). Sage is not a "universal" spice either. I love it in a few recipes and hate it in most everything else. Ditto rosemary. So yes - avoid this unappealing mix at all cost and just add the specific herbs that are called for (not the entire kitchen sink so-to-speak).

If you listen to no one else's advice on this thread, PLEASE pay heed to r232. For years, I didn't know why I didn't like some people's Italian food, and it turned out to be the dried basil. My father, a proficient Italian home cook, never used it—we grew our own—so I never had it until later in life. And it turned out it was always the thing that was present in dishes I didn't like, either on its own or as an Italian Seasoning component.

If one goes to the extra effort of making a hand-squished sauce, it's only right that it should be accompanied by wine made from foot-stomped grapes fermented in your own basement.

Pasta recommendations please. I can tell you guys what brands I dislike: Barilla, Ronzoni and most of the crap brands found at supermarkets. I prefer the brands from Italy, but the only one available locally is Luigi Vitelli. Buitoni seems to have left the planet, their pasta was actually from Italy and delicious. San Giorgio is OK.

[quote]You can make a very good marinara sauce if you start with a can of Cento San Marzano peeled tomatoes, available at Trader Joe's.

[quote]I've yet to find a can of San Marzanos I like more than Cento's Whole Peeled Tomatoes. I buy them whole, then for most recipes, pulse them five times in the Cuisinart. E voilà.

Bingo! Anyone touting Raos, Classico or any other sub-par glop is an amateur. Seriously, Cento is ALL you need. Beautiful quality tomatoes grown in Italy that are naturally sweet ---San Marzano or don't even bother. All Cento products are miles above anything else out there. Try the SM tomatoes (and crush by hand), the paste and even the jarred marinara---all magnifico.

Another NY Times recipe-

1 28 oz can San Marzano tomatoes.

5 tblsp butter

1 large onion sliced in half

Salt to taste

Throw it all together in a pan. Bring to simmer over medium heat. Cook for 45 minutes. Discard onion.

The NY Times said that, based upon the responses, this recipe is among the most popular they've ever published.

I make it occasionally. It's, of course, very rich and delicious. Basically, it's buttered pasta with an almost incidental tomato presence. I like it because, although I don't mind garlic in moderate doses, this recipe calls for none.

^^Ha, that sounds like the kind of recipe that the reviewers all say "I LOOOOOVE this recipe", and then they list all the modifications they made.

R237,that's MarcellaHazen's recipe, in her books and television shows. It is fast, simple and delicious. I use Cento peeled whole tomatoes, a 28 oz. can, a stick of butter, a large onion halved. Simmer uncovered 45 minutes, discard onion. Making it a few times I've taken to quartering a smaller onion, then blending it into the sauce, adding a few anchovy strips. Reading all the above, I'll add a bit of vermouth next time.

R237, R238 and R239 - that recipe sounds interesting and certainly simple. I have no doubt that the butter tastes great (it always does), but isn't that a large amount for one 28 oz. can of tomatoes?

Thanks, r239, noted.

Yes, r240, and I'll cop to it right up front- sometimes I've added a bit more.

I really like this one. I add some crushed red pepper flakes and pretend it's all my creation :) Delicious!

Del Grosso's

r222 you had me until the sugar, I hate sugar in any pasta sauce. r237, that is a waste of good onion, unless I save it to put in beef stew or something, whatever. Someone upthread mentioned Rana sauce which I've tried and can confirm is above average.

Barilla Basilico

Raos is hands down the best, sometines i just eat it straight from the jar its that good. Every time I buy something else just to try or because its on sale im sorry i did. For cheaper brands, Paesana and Victoria are both pretty good, but Raos is superb.

As far a s pasta, I think DeCecco is the best. Ronzoni is actually not bad, people are just snobby about it because its so common and bot imported. I actually like it better than Barilla .

Based on someone's comment above, I bought some Whole Foods brand (not 365) Pipe Rigate today. Looking forward to trying it out.

R230, R231, canned tomatoes including diced, whole, stewed, are usually prepared with calcium chloride, which keeps the tomatoes firm after being canned. CaCl also means the tomatoes won't break down during cooking. Puree them or find a calcium-free version.

The Marcella Hazan recipe of tomato and butter is good. Note that it's just a few simple ingredients. No "italian seasonings" and all that crap.

It's not a very standard method of making a tomato sauce but it's a nice variation.

She uses a lot of butter .....it's a tomato sauce recipe more for the winter than the summer....but you can use butter/olive oil. Or just olive oil.

Hazan's books are the best introduction to Italian cookery written in English.

[quote]Raos is hands down the best, sometines i just eat it straight from the jar its that good.

I've never tried and probably never will. I make my own but at least the ingredient list is all good stuff:

"Italian whole peeled tomatoes, olive oil, onions, salt, garlic, basil, black pepper, dried oregano."

If I wanted to by a jar sauce, I'd buy that.

Paesana marinara is one of the best. It's hard to find in stores, though. You can buy it online. Rao's is good (and seems to be available everywhere) but I always liked Paesana a little more. It's the only sauce I ever tried that tasted like it was just made & there was no little acidic aftertaste that 90% of the jars have (that I can taste - I might be a little picky though).

R248 In your opinion, is the citric acid better than calcium chloride? Other than the San Marzanos (and I agree Cento is among the best) I have to tip my hat to the TJ's people: their Unsalted Crushed Plum tomatoes were almost as good. They did contain citric acid as well as basil.

I almost never buy sauce but I will buy Barilla if I need a sauce.

I have never heard many of these pasta brands you are mentioning. Here in Italy the best pastas in the middle price ranges are De Cecco, La Molisana, Rummo, Voiello, Garofalo. Then of course there's "gourmet" pasta like Benedetto Cavalieri, but that's expensive. If you find these brands - imported - in your local supermarket you should be covered.

R187. Pomi may be UHT but canned tomatoes are BPH. BPH is poison whereas UHT is not.

[quote]Here in Italy the best pastas in the middle price ranges are De Cecco, La Molisana, Rummo, Voiello, Garofalo.

DeCecco is widely available in the US. I've seen Garofalo at Costco, of all places.

I hate peeling garlic too. But hate mincing it more. An eldersister sent me this amazing gadget to mince garlic.

Garlic is a cinch to peel.

With the heel of your palm, press to flatten a clove with the side of a knife.

The peel will break and usually slip right off.

....

To mince; just slice the clove. Gather the slices, and slice again. Gather and slice again. It takes a minute.

R258 Do you have any advice on onions? They give me more trouble than garlic: I just give garlic a womp with a cleaver or chef knife, and off the paper comes...while onion makes me angry!

R258 - I agree that mincing garlic is a no-brainer and I use just about the same method that you described. The one that gives me grief is when a recipe calls for thinly sliced garlic. I can't "smash" it to remove the skin as I usually would - and doing so any other way drives me insane. I can make thin slices relatively easily (it does take more time of course); I just can remove that damn skin LOL. I guess that I need to try out one of those silicone "cloth" tools to see how effective it is for this purpose. R259 - you didn't ask me, but I find onions pretty easy. I start by cutting it in half. I remove the skin using the outer-most layer (which is often dirty anyway). place the flat part side down against the board and cutting into the "top" of the onion (use the root as your handle for the hand that is not holding your knife) - make one, two or even three horizontal slices depending on the size of the onion and how small you want the dice to be. Then carefully make as many vertical slices (towards the root) as you can slicing almost to the root but not into it. Finally, rock the knife back and forth the other direction (perpendicular to the other slices) - you are left with half of an onion that is now minced into tiny pieces. Repeat with other onion halves until you have the desired amount.

R260 Jaques Pepin has used a vegetable peeler to make thin slices of garlic rather quickly. He smashes it a bit to remove the skin, but not as hard as he normally would.

[quote]The one that gives me grief is when a recipe calls for thinly sliced garlic.

Just chop the garlic or do your best or whatever, it'll make absolutely no difference in the final outcome.

Everyday cooking is so simple that cook book authors have to make things as wordy and complicated as possible.

Cheers R260 I rarely do the thin sliced garlic, but when I must, I skip the knife and use a mandolin.

I've noticed more an more cooks on TV are grating both onions and garlic instead of chopping/mincing them.

Peeling garlic is a PITA if it's really fresh. The skin sticks like a mofo. I hate doing it.

My method for peeling a clove of garlic: First cut off the stump end with a paring knife and then use thumbnail or edge of knife blade to strip upwards towards the pointy end. Easy peasy. Thumbnail is better, but your fingers will smell like garlic. Personally, I don't mind that.

I am trying this based on stel”ar reviews

Mezzeta parmigiano reggiano maranara

R261, R262, R263 and R266 - THANK you for the suggestions. I will certainly try them out. Many thanks!

The local international market used to carry Fabianelli pasta which I absolutely adored. You can't get it anymore, and I'm not sure it's even still sold in Italy. An imported Kroger brand called Di Martino is quite good.

Newman's Own "Sockarooni" is great when mixed with a can of diced tomatoes. I brown ground beef with a little salt and pepper, then when it's almost done move it to the sides of the pan and add 1T olive oil. Add chopped garlic, 1T dry Italian seasoning and a shake or two of red pepper flakes, stir in the hot oil for a second, then add Sockarooni and a 14oz can of diced tomatoes. Stir it all in with the meat and simmer for a while. It's great and makes a ton.

^no, Fabianelli doesn't exist in Italy.

In Italy I think most cook their own sauce as explained upthread....their food is amazing over there!

Sounds dreadful, R270. Sorry. If you're going to do that much doctoring, just start with the real thing and get some San Marzanos.

I have never been fond of minced beef in pasta sauces. Meatballs are better, or pork in the sauce. I think some Americans make a sauce akin to chili sometimes. The other odd thing about the mince, or ground beef is the texture; most cooks don't simmer long enough to really make it tender.

[quote]I have never heard many of these pasta brands you are mentioning. Here in Italy the best pastas in the middle price ranges are De Cecco, La Molisana, Rummo, Voiello, Garofalo. Then of course there's "gourmet" pasta like Benedetto Cavalieri, but that's expensive. If you find these brands - imported - in your local supermarket you should be covered.

How about Campagna? It's imported from Italy. I was wondering if it's produced only for the US market? I mentioned it upthread. It was so tasty, perfect al dente pasta. It's no longer available at my local supermarket. The only Italian brand of pasta I can find is Luggi Vitelli. It's pretty good, but not as tasty as Campagna.

Costco did carry De Cecco for awhile, now they only carry Barilla.

The idea of meat in a jarred pasta sauce sitting on a shelf for months is revolting.

I use Francesca Rinaldi Tasty Tomato. It's not as good as it is used to be (they changed the recipe recently) but it's still pretty good. At my grocery store, it's $1.69 a jar, which makes it the cheapest non-house brand of sauce.

What brand of pasta are you using or are you just eating spoonfuls sauce?

R277 A friend makes a great eggplant & zucchini layered casserole and told me she uses the Rinaldi Four Cheese sauce. I was surprised, as I initially thought she had made her own sauce.

r278 I use whatever brand of pasta is on sale when I go to the store. If the house brand is the cheapest that week, that's what I use.

What are the best parmesan mozzarella & Romano cheeses?

I can't believe that no one has mentioned Francesco Renaldi sauce. Really good, and cheap too usually found at WalMart.

[quote]How about Campagna?

Never heard of it.

Beside the brands R254 listed, another really good Italian brand of pasta is "Cav. Giuseppe Cocco".

I had their farfalle this evening.

r277 mentioned it, r282.

I priced Rao's the other day and it's close to $10 a jar! Too rich for my blood, some of you guys must have money to burn. No jarred sauce can be so good as to be worth ten bucks a jar.

Good news! Eating pasta doesn't increase chances of weight gain.

Please bless Paul for bringing this exquisite jarred sauce to market -

R285, Buy it on sale, Blanche.

Bionature organic pasta is made in Italy with Italian flour. It makes a world of difference. American 00 flour is still American wheat which has been fucked up. Many of the company's that say they are Italian pasta or Italian style pasta or the company is owned in Italy use American flour. You will never get the true al dente perfect texture from American wheat. It's worth paying a little more. There are other brands too that are true products of Italy. Those are the best.

Newman’s used to taste good, but lately it tastes like pure sugar.

I buy the grated Pecorino Romano (sheep's milk) at Trader Joe's. I always have at least two tubs in my fridge. I put it on a lot of things. It's good on broccoli or other vegetables. On pizza. On pasta with browned butter. In salads.

Hunts Herb and Garlic Sauce, 80 cents for the big can

[quote]I priced Rao's the other day and it's close to $10 a jar!

That's insane. I don't know how the prices are in the US for ingredients, but I could make that fresh, for $2.00 or less.

On the other hand: you get what you pay for:

That Hunts sauce for 80 cents has the following ingredients:

Tomato puree (water, tomato paste), water, salt, soybean oil, carrot fiber, dried garlic, citric acid, spices, natural flavours, sugar.

Note that the water is the first listed ingredient. The oil is soybean. And "carrot fiber"?

The Rinaldi sauce is equally dreary:

Tomato puree (water, tomato paste, citric acid), sugar, salt, extra virgin olive oil, dried onions, imported pecorino romano cheese (sheep's milk, cheese cultures, salt, enzymes), spices, dried garlic.

Sugar is the first listed ingredient.

*Sugar is the first listed ingredient after "tomato puree".

[quote]Bionature organic pasta is made in Italy with Italian flour. It makes a world of difference. American 00 flour is still American wheat which has been fucked up. Many of the company's that say they are Italian pasta or Italian style pasta or the company is owned in Italy use American flour. You will never get the true al dente perfect texture from American wheat. It's worth paying a little more. There are other brands too that are true products of Italy. Those are the best.

Is DeCecco Italian-Italian?

Surprised none of you mentioned this brand!

How about Jon Bon Jovi's sauce?

Real name: Bongiovi

Get a large can of crushed tomatoes and a can of tomato paste. Choose your herbs and make your own.

I don't even use tomato paste. Just the NY Times marinara recipe or Marcella's Sauce #3.

Fabianelli pasta has a website, R271. It exists, but I have no idea how to buy it. Looks like it's just for restaurants, per their catalogue.

[quote]Anyone touting Raos, Classico or any other sub-par glop is an amateur.

Strong words from the guy who was practically sobbing over how hard it is to peel garlic if it's really fresh.

R300 I've also never seen the Fabianelli label in any shops here.

But the company (it's in Arezzo) makes two well known brands: "Pasta Maltagliati" and "Pasta Toscana"

"Pasta Toscana" is made with wheat specifically grown in Tuscany.

Thanks, R302! I'm going to try some, it's relatively easy to find here in the States.

My local supermarket sells "Pasta Maltagliati" and "Pasta Toscana", but I've never tried them so I can't recommend them.

I just bought a jar of this at Whole Foods, but I haven't tried it yet.

My homemade attempts can't come close to Carfagna's Pomodoro Basilico. It's nice to support a local family operation, too. Well, local to me, anyway.

RAO'S is on sale at Safeway for five bucks a jar upcoming. check your ad.....it wouldn't be as big a loss as the regular price.....

R306: you can make the same exact sauce at home for less than a dollar.

[quote]My homemade attempts can't come close to Carfagna's Pomodoro Basilico.

You should try to figure out what you're doing wrong.

Also: I don't know if that's true in your case, but people who live on packaged food, tend to have a palate that expects a packaged food taste.

* I don't know if it's true in your case...

r306 What the hell are "tomato filets?" Since when do tomatoes have bones?

Tomato filets: you cut tomatoes in halves, then slice each half in a longitudinal cuts. Those are "filets".

Tomato filets... chopped tomatoes... tomato puree....they all indicate an inferior product. Perhaps good... but certainly not the best.

To make a good tomato sauce you want to use whole peeled tomatoes.

The chopped etc.... are a way for a manufacturer to chop away rotting, unripe or damaged tomato.

Whole peeled tomatoes have to carefully selected. Peels contribute nothing to flavor, that's why you want peeled tomatoes. And yes they cost more.

Personally I like the Mutti brand.

Marcella Hazans sauce is so easy for me to do that I do not buy prepared anymore. It is literally 3 ingredients and no chopping or prepping,

I used to like Rao's until they changed the recipe

Hunts

Always Bove's. If it's not on the shelf, I'll get Classico.

slop

and

SLIME

I don't know R295. I tried Google and could not find that info. I always knew Bionature tasted better but I didn't know why until I saw a taste test of pasta on America's Test Kitchen and then looked at the package I had at home and realized it was made with Italian flour.

Check out the link below and see if you can find any helpful info on pasta made with Italian flour.