So I was browsing spaghetti sauce recipes thinking of making some up and I noticed that there seems to be no standard ingredients. I’m talking about basic canned tomato products here, nothing gourmet.
Some call for Stewed Tomatos, other like Tomato Sauce, still others insist on Crushed Tomatos and some heretics even choose whole peeled tomatos. Each of these ingredients may or may not be supplemented with Tomato Paste. Of course the modern grocery store has every one of these products with additional flavors like roasted garlic, onion and pepper, italian seasonings, etc.
I know I’ve made varieties with just about all of them in various combos and have never really taken note as to which are better. This is partly due to the fact that my recipes have a habit of being totally random and unmeasured, but still. What do you guys think is best? Anyone steadfastly dogmatic for or against any of these tomoatoey treats?
I will use either canned or freshed tomatoes to make tomato sauce. It seems perverse, though, to make tomato sauce from something that’s already called “tomato sauce”, so I don’t do that
I use half sauced and half crushed and avoid anything doctored; I prefer to do all the seasoning myself. I don’t think anybody who uses different kinds of maters is a heretic, though. I could even be converted. I’ll be watching this thread for sure.
I generally used a can of crushed and a can of sauce. Ditto the seasonigs. Although I have been known to make sauce out of any tomato-stuff lying around. Stewed tomatoes usually have to be augmented with some paste, I have found. But then, I usually pile my sauces with peppers, mushrooms, diced onions, and whatever else is in the fridge. But never garlic powder! There are limits.
I’ve heard rumors that “chefs” and “experts” claim crushed tomatos and the like can be more bitter due to the fact the seeds and innards are still inside. Any truth there? Why would that be different than the others?
I don’t buy that. Canned tomatoes of any stripe are made from overripe product, which is always sweeter than fresh ripe tomatoes. Now, if you cook them too long, bitterness may result.
As for flavored tomato sauces, I don’t use them because the herb flavors become completely diluted with prolonged storage and cooking. I’d rather spice my own sauce, adding the fresh herbs at the end.
Some people are more sensitive to texture and consistency than others, and tastes vary. I don’t like discernible chunks of tomato in spaghetti sauce (or salsa, for that matter). Actually, I rather hate chunks of tomato in a sauce. Let me put it this way: I detest tomato chunks in sauce. They ruin it. It’s supposed to be sauce, not stew. I wouldn’t dream of using tomatoes, or portions of tomatoes, in making spaghetti sauce. Other people don’t mind it, or even like it, but what do they know?
So, when I make spaghetti sauce, I use a combination of tomato sauce (no flavoring) and tomato paste (ditto) in roughly a 2:1 ratio. Essential spices are garlic powder, onion in some form (grated or powder), and oregano. I add a little salt and a little sugar.
But we’re not making tomato sauce from tomato sauce, which as you say is obviously already tomato sauce. We’re making SPAGHETTI sauce from tomato sauce. Why go to all the trouble of beating tomatoes into sauce when you can buy it already beaten?
Every pot of spaghetti sauce I’ve ever made has been unique.
That said, I tend to buy cans of whole tomatoes and cans of crushed tomatoes in equal numbers; I usually have a couple of each on hand. I also usually have a few small cans of tomato paste on hand. I don’t always use it, but it’s nice to have if you want that kind of sauce.
I had no idea putting fresh tomatos in sauce made you a heretic. Oh well, I was planning on going to hell anyway.
It depends a lot on what I’ve got around the house. But I have to say I like using tomato paste, along with fresh tomatos. Kind of the opposite ends of the tomato spectrum.
I don’t understand you at all.
That is, I put in the tomato paste because it’s concentrated tomatoness that makes a good sauce (combined with stock and wine and maybe a little balsamic vinegar). But the fresh gives it an extra dimension. And texture.
Once again it depends on what I have around at the time but preferably fresh herbs…basil, thyme, parsely. And garlic and onion…or better yet shallot.
Along with the spices just mentioned… a bay leaf or two. If you want a meat sauce - an easy & flavorful addtion is a couple of hot italian sausages. Slice them after cooking them. Adds a nice bite to the sauce.
A bit more work is to add a finely minced cooked chicken breast - better than ground beef in my opinion.
I do that sometimes. I generally don’t like adding sugar to things, but carrots add just a bit of sweetness, some extra nutrition and you’re right, no one knows they’ve been added unless you tell them. I’ll shred the carrots finely though, instead of mincing. Which is why I don’t always add carrots. I’m too lazy to shred them.
For those who wish a clingier texture, one that really sticks to your noodles: try using canned tomato puree instead of canned sauce or paste.
Each of my spaghetti recipes are similar, but I’m such a “pinch of this, dash of that, cup of this, clove of this, can of this” cook that I can only approximate, never replicate, my dishes.
I think I’m making a spaghetti dinner one of these upcoming Sundays in a couple of weeks. Maybe have the family over.
Can anyone recommend a GOOD garlic spread for bread?
Let me clarify – I have nothing against fresh tomatoes. And it’s fine with me if a sauce is made from fresh tomatoes. As long as there aren’t chunks of tomato in it. It’s not the flavor, it’s the texture.
Cheese sauce does not have chunks of cheese in it.
Cream sauce does not have chunks of cream in it.
Hollandaise sauce does not have chunks of the Netherlands in it.
Therefore, tomato sauce should not have chunks of tomato in it.
There is an insignificant portion of people (probably only 99% of the general population) who prefer, or at least don’t mind, tomato-based sauces that include chunks of tomato. I’m in the other significant 1%.
In all seriousness, I find it distasteful to encounter a chunk of tomato in a tomato-based sauce. I don’t know why, I just do. I’m very sensitive to (and picky about) certain textures in food.
Gart T. You explain your logic of sauces like that, you don’t come off as such a weirdo. I myself did a double-take at your describing how you balk at tomato chunks in your salsa. But perhaps you meant to say “picante sauce.”
Also, I have been told that putting carrots into your sauce prevents heartburn! Don’t know if it’s true or not, but I always include some shredded/grated carrots.
I am usually lazy and use a bottle of sauce from the store, adding some Italian sausage and sometimes a pack of presliced mushrooms or something. Last night I used some fresh spinach, that was good.
I just made the best ever spaghetti sauce. Seriously, I would normally say my own cooking is fine but not amazing but that sauce came out gorgeous.
I used canned peeled plum tomatoes for it.
Other ingredients were a generous helping of extra virgin olive oil in which garlic was carefully sauted. Then I added the tomatoes and cooked really slowly without a lid for about half an hour. Black pepper and salt and a few more minutes of cooking. Heat off. Fresh basil in. That’s all. Less is a lot more. Well, I did put Parmesan on it but needn’t even have done that. The only problem I had was that I made enough for two days but it was so good I ate the lot in one sitting.
I think fresh tomatoes would be nice, but not the ones here in Ireland as they seem to be bags of water. I’d rather have good canned tomatoes than bad fresh ones. If I had good fresh ones I wouldn’t do the slow cooked sauce with them, though.
I myself did a double-take at your describing how you balk at tomato chunks in your salsa. But perhaps you meant to say “picante sauce.”