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E-Z P-Z Tomato Sauce Recipe

I don't cook very well, but I think I can master this one!!!!

Anyone ever try this recipe?

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by Anonymousreply 59December 22, 2019 5:41 PM

Do you have to sign in to read it? All I can see are the title, the author and her name, and the pic. Epicurious never works for me. I don't want to sign in, either, because every time you click on an Epicurious page, or get an email from them, they force a (usually unrelated) video on you.

OTOH, here's a version everyone should be able to read, from food52.com, with a video.

First, note this recipe amount adjustment:

[bold]1 28-oz. can of whole, peeled tomatoes, pulsed slightly in blender or food processor

1 8-oz. stick of butter

1 medium onion, cut in half

un po' di salt, if you use unsalted butter[/bold]

Instead of the 2 cups of pulsed, whole peeled tomatoes the recipe calls for, I use the whole can, and that yields 3 cups. I pulse them a few times using my stick blender. (I hate diced tomatoes as mfrs. use some chemical that maintains their hard, pointy shape.) Anyway, since I increase the amount of tomatoes by a half, I add half again as much butter, i.e., a whole stick rather than 5 oz. A medium-to-large onion is perfect. I usually use a white onion. I find they peel more easily than yellow, and don't make my eyes water like red.

I make this sauce all the time. I'm having some for breakfast today, [italic]con le uova[/italic].

Offsite Link
by Anonymousreply 1December 11, 2019 12:04 PM

I've made it before. it is easy and it is delicious... but I just don't really want to eat a stick of butter on my spaghetti.

by Anonymousreply 2December 11, 2019 12:05 PM

It’s “easy peasy”.

by Anonymousreply 3December 11, 2019 12:09 PM

I don’t like cream pasta sauces or butter on noodles either.

by Anonymousreply 4December 11, 2019 12:09 PM

If you're actually consuming a stick of butter, I'd say your problem is more the pound of spaghetti you're eating to go with it.

by Anonymousreply 5December 11, 2019 12:15 PM

I don't discard the onion. When the sauce is done cooking, I chop half the onion and put that in the blender with the sauce, plus some garlic and oregano and basil -- blitz it all together and freeze if not using right away. The other half of the onion I chop up and add to scrambled eggs or something like that.

by Anonymousreply 6December 11, 2019 12:45 PM

Here's the recipe R1 -

Ingredients

2 pounds ripe tomatoes, or 3 cups canned whole peeled tomatoes with their juice

1 medium sweet yellow onion

5 tablespoons butter

1 1/4 teaspoons salt

If using fresh tomatoes, peel them. Coarsely chop the fresh or canned tomatoes.

Trim both ends of the onion; peel it and cut it in half lengthwise.

Put the tomatoes, onion, butter, and salt in a 4- to 5-quart saucepan over medium heat. When the tomatoes begin to bubble, lower the heat to a slow but steady simmer.

Cook, stirring every 10 to 15 minutes, until the tomatoes are no longer watery and the sauce has reduced, about 45 minutes, depending on the size and shape of the pot.

The sauce is done when the butter has separated from the tomatoes and there is no remaining liquid.

When you toss pasta with the sauce, add about 1/3 cup freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano.

by Anonymousreply 7December 11, 2019 12:54 PM

Simple solution ...... Just add ½ stick of butter & 1 garlic clove. You won't even miss the butter.

It's called a simple recipe adjust adjustment

by Anonymousreply 8December 11, 2019 1:04 PM

My very Italian mother never added butter or olive oil to her sauce. Just pureed tomatoes, garlic, parsley, salt, pepper, grated romano cheese, and a teaspoon of sugar. Never measured the ingredients, and it came out perfect every time.

by Anonymousreply 9December 11, 2019 1:17 PM

This isn't that sauce, dingaling r9. This is this sauce.

You think people can't make a sauce like your sauce? Oh, and you can keep your sugar.

by Anonymousreply 10December 11, 2019 1:40 PM

Authentic Italian sauce is a simple blend of ripe tomatoes, a touch of olive oil, fresh garlic, a bit of sugar to cut the acidity, parsley and basil. Salt, pepper,cheese added to your personal taste. It's very light, not the thick, pasty desecrated Americanized version.

by Anonymousreply 11December 11, 2019 2:24 PM

This is Marcella Hazan's recipe. It's been around for years.

by Anonymousreply 12December 11, 2019 2:31 PM

What is "thick, pasty, desecrated Americanized" tomato sauce made of, exactly? I don't think I've ever made it.

by Anonymousreply 13December 11, 2019 2:33 PM

It's a butter and tomato sauce. Perfectly fine if that's what you want.

For me it's way too much butter. I'd use butter/olive oil.

Basic everyday tomato sauce in Italy is mostly just tomato, garlic, olive oil, salt, basil.

In high tomato season you use fresh but throughout the year mostly canned.

Another classic: onion, celery, carrot minced and cooked with tomato and olive oil and then put through a food mill (NOT pureed with a hand held mixer).

by Anonymousreply 14December 11, 2019 4:13 PM

Some people think Chef Boyardee ravioli is the real thing.

I say, eat whatever tastes good to you.

by Anonymousreply 15December 11, 2019 4:50 PM

This recipe would yield five servings so it's only a tablespoon of butter per serving.

by Anonymousreply 16December 11, 2019 4:55 PM

[quote]Basic everyday tomato sauce in Italy is mostly just tomato, garlic, olive oil, salt, basil.

In the US, we call that marinara. I love it, but the tomato-butter-onion sauce is easier, and I actually like the flavor more.

[quote]Another classic: onion, celery, carrot minced and cooked with tomato and olive oil and then put through a food mill (NOT pureed with a hand held mixer).

I lost my food mill in a breakup. I like the idea of this one, though. I make another one that uses these ingredients without pureeing or milling. I bought some celery this week and will have extra. Maybe I'll make one of these.

And then there's Bolognese. But I don't feel like eating meat as much as I used to.

Grazie.

by Anonymousreply 17December 11, 2019 4:58 PM

[quote]I love it, but the tomato-butter-onion sauce is easier, and I actually like the flavor more.

I agree, ease is the great thing about. No sautéing. No fuss.

That sauce BTW appeared I'n Marcella Hazan's first book in the 1970s.

by Anonymousreply 18December 11, 2019 5:35 PM

I like Marcella's recipe. I use half the butter and it still tames the tomato's acidity. I also use this as a base recipe when I want variations with different herbs and spices.

by Anonymousreply 19December 11, 2019 5:46 PM

I just looked, r18. I got her first book in April, 1980. I mostly concentrated on ragù alla bolognese and making my own pasta, fettucine, pappardelle, and of course, lasagne alla bolognese.

Now I also make Marcella's chicken with lemons and I cook potatoes, then fish, in the same roasting pan, a technique I learned from her. Maybe the most important thing I learned from Marcella was not to be rigid about sticking to a shopping list.

by Anonymousreply 20December 11, 2019 5:55 PM

I make it often. It's great for filled pasta (i.e. ravioli).

It won't freeze successfully. It should be eaten within 2 or 3 days. You have to stir it as frequently as you can when it's cooking to emulsify the butter into the tomatoes, so it should never be boiled or cooked on high heat.

You should use San Marzano tomatoes if possible.

by Anonymousreply 21December 11, 2019 6:04 PM

I usually buy Cento, non-San Marzano. I like them very much. Always whole. Never diced.

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by Anonymousreply 22December 11, 2019 6:08 PM

R1 says the recipe calls for an 8 ounce stick of butter. That's a half pound of butter. The average stick of butter is 4 ounces.

R7 says 5 tablespoons of butter.

So which is correct ?

by Anonymousreply 23December 11, 2019 7:15 PM

Oh, god. R23 is right. I said 8 ounces. I was wrong. I meant 8 tablespoons. Which is equal to four ounces. Four. FOUR. One stick. That goes perfectly with three cups of tomatoes

I'll be washing dishes in Douglaston.

by Anonymousreply 24December 11, 2019 7:25 PM

Marcella's recipe says 5 tablespoons of butter.

by Anonymousreply 25December 11, 2019 7:29 PM

And 2 cups of tomatoes, r25. The 28-ounce can yields 3 cups. Do the multiplication and you end up with 7.5 tablespoons of butter.

by Anonymousreply 26December 11, 2019 7:33 PM

I'm a little confused. After I drain and rinse my pasta do I put the pasta in the pot with the sauce or add the sauce to the pasta?

by Anonymousreply 27December 11, 2019 7:37 PM

[quote] and rinse my pasta

Tell you're joking R27

by Anonymousreply 28December 11, 2019 7:42 PM

Days like this really make me miss my Mom. Life was so much easier, and so much tastier when she made her sauce and meatballs.

by Anonymousreply 29December 11, 2019 7:42 PM

*Tell us you're joking [R27]

by Anonymousreply 30December 11, 2019 7:42 PM

r26, no math involved. Marcella Hazan's recipe, in r1's link, calls for either 2 pounds of fresh tomatoes or 3 cups of canned tomatoes, and 5 tablespoons of butter.

by Anonymousreply 31December 11, 2019 7:43 PM

I'm confused, too.

Do I serve naked pasta, or do I serve the pasta while I'm naked

by Anonymousreply 32December 11, 2019 7:46 PM

If you want to tart it up a little, add a teaspoon of dried orange peel and a pinch of saffron threads.

by Anonymousreply 33December 11, 2019 7:47 PM

[quote] Marcella Hazan's recipe, in [R1]'s link, calls for either 2 pounds of fresh tomatoes or 3 cups of canned tomatoes, and 5 tablespoons of butter.

That recipe is based on Hazan's recipe.

Hazan would never recommend pulsing tomatoes in a blender or food processor.

by Anonymousreply 34December 11, 2019 7:48 PM

👋 "Welcome, DataLounge Mathematicians !"

by Anonymousreply 35December 11, 2019 7:49 PM

I don't know what recipe you're looking at r34. I'm referring to the one that r1 posted, with an embedded link in the article about Marcella Hazan's sauce, entitled "My Mother's Butter, Tomato, and Onion sauce," by Guiliano Hazan. The ingredients are 2 pounds of fresh tomatoes or 3 cups of canned tomatoes, 5 tablespoons of butter, one medium sweet yellow onion, and 1-1/4 tsp of salt. Cook and stir together. No pulsing tomatoes.

If you've perfected it with three cups of tomatoes and a whole stick of butter, then your recipe is based on Marcella Hazan's, but has more butter.

by Anonymousreply 36December 11, 2019 8:02 PM

My mother grew up in an Italian family of thirteen. Everyone learned to make their mother's sauce according to her recipe, yet each one's sauce tastes a little different, but all are incredibly good. That's the beauty of home cooking, you can take any recipe, tweak it to your liking, and call it your own.

by Anonymousreply 37December 11, 2019 8:15 PM

Actually, r36, this is the ingredient list, both from the website quoted in R1 and Marcella's cookbook. It specifies 2 cups of canned tomatoes, not 3.

[bold]2 pounds fresh, ripe tomatoes, prepared as described below, or 2 cups canned imported Italian tomatoes, cut up, with their juice

5 tablespoons butter

1 medium onion, peeled and cut in half[/quote]

So, if 5 tablespoons is the correct amount of butter for 2 cups, 7.5 tablespoons is the amount you want for 3 cups. I'll add in the extra half tablespoon. How about you?

FWIW, the recipe from her first book calls for 1/4 lb. of butter and 2 cups of canned tomatoes.

by Anonymousreply 38December 11, 2019 8:18 PM

[/bold]I'm afraid to say I'm enjoying this discussion today. Muriel might Muriel it.

by Anonymousreply 39December 11, 2019 8:22 PM

Not to be obtuse r38, but where in r1's link does it say 2 cups of canned tomatoes?

by Anonymousreply 40December 11, 2019 8:29 PM

The purpose of the onion is to provide sugar to balance the acidity of the tomatoes. Another method calls for putting a carrot in with the tomatoes and butter, then removing it after the tomatoes are thoroughly cooked and mushed -- carrots are full of sugar too, like onions.

by Anonymousreply 41December 11, 2019 8:32 PM

🍝 I wish you faux Italians would get your freaking act together and just make the sauce already. My mouth has been watering all day long just thinking about this, and I'm sure you fine cooks can understand why I'm so damn hungry !

by Anonymousreply 42December 11, 2019 9:33 PM

Don't fuck up my genius recipe by adding your own "creative twists." It's 3 ingredients, plus salt and pepper.

And it's 5 TBs of butter, not 8, not 4: FIVE.

by Anonymousreply 43December 12, 2019 12:59 PM

R11 is like my mama makes it. For some reason, as hard as i try, mine never comes out as good as hers.

by Anonymousreply 44December 12, 2019 1:15 PM

r43 Ahhh...la mamma mia. In my book, [italic]The Classic Pasta Cookbook[/italic], page 52, I call for 3 cups of tomatoes and 6 tablespoons of butter.

And seriously, Mamma, pepper?

by Anonymousreply 45December 12, 2019 1:31 PM

The original link site looks like 3 cups canned to me. And 5 tablespoons butter.

A 28 oz can has approximately 13 1/4 cup servings. So 3 1/4 cups. I think it’s safe to round to 3 cups.

Ignoring the onion (which can’t be adding much), that’s around 200 calories for the tomatoes and 500 calories for the butter. For simplicity, let’s say it’s going to cook down to 3 cups. That gives you a sauce with just under 120 calories for a 1/2 cup serving, with a little over 80 calories coming from the butter.

Prego traditional is 70 calories and Rao’s is 100. Homemade would be fewer calories than Rao’s, but a lot more work. I’m going to try it today and if the taste is as good as they say, then that and the ease seem like adequate compensation for the extra butter and calories.

by Anonymousreply 46December 12, 2019 2:34 PM

R46 How taking counting the calories of good homemade food made with good healthy ingredients.

You don't eat tomato sauce by the spoonful.

The problem isn't the calories of good food, the problem is over eating.

by Anonymousreply 47December 12, 2019 3:41 PM

*How tacky

by Anonymousreply 48December 12, 2019 3:42 PM

I tried it. I didn't like it.

by Anonymousreply 49December 12, 2019 3:43 PM

I tried it today. It’s pretty good, I would definitely make it again. It’s much better than sauce out of a jar and the best part was that it did not require constant stirring. I could do other things in the kitchen while it was on the burner. I used 5 tablespoons butter and one 28 oz. can of tomatoes, 1/2 an onion, and a teaspoon of salt. I could taste the butter and suspect going down to 4 tablespoons would only improve the result. A teaspoon of salt was too much.

It’s not the best sauce I’ve ever made, but I think it’s a terrific option for a quick, inexpensive meal.

by Anonymousreply 50December 13, 2019 1:06 AM

I made it again today. Original recipe amount of butter, 1/4 pound. 28-oz. / 3 cup can of Cento tomatoes. I will eat it later on whole wheat penne, with some P-R.

by Anonymousreply 51December 22, 2019 4:20 PM

I miss my food mill.

by Anonymousreply 52December 22, 2019 4:25 PM

I lost my food mill in a breakup, r52. I wouldn't want him to be publicly flogged, however. If anyone's going to do it, it's going to be me. And I don't need an audience.

by Anonymousreply 53December 22, 2019 4:27 PM

[quote]I miss my food mill.

A not perfectly smooth tomato sauce is fine too.

Use canned peeled tomatoes, cut off the harder stem end of the tomatoes and mash them with a fork or back of a spoon.

by Anonymousreply 54December 22, 2019 4:36 PM

I just use my hands or chop them now, R54. The thing that I liked about the food mill was the automatic seed removal.

by Anonymousreply 55December 22, 2019 4:52 PM

R52, you can buy a food mill for $50 or less (Bed, Bath, & Beyond, Amazon, etc.). Or, if you're not in a hurry and like to shop, check out yard sales and estate sales, where people are getting rid of their parents' and grandparents' stuff.

by Anonymousreply 56December 22, 2019 5:13 PM

Dear God, you people saying this recipe has too much butter are idiots.

READ THIS PLEASE!

[quote]3 cups of canned tomatoes, and 5 tablespoons of butter.

Do you have any idea how many servings this is? DO YOU? It's six servings. That's less than 1 T of butter per serving.

by Anonymousreply 57December 22, 2019 5:17 PM

But I eat 2-3 servings in one sitting.

by Anonymousreply 58December 22, 2019 5:30 PM

Ewww, tomato sauce made at home should always use fresh tomatoes, just boil them.

Add a bay leave and a pinch of salt to the boiling water.

by Anonymousreply 59December 22, 2019 5:41 PM
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