[rollo]

 Very very simple. Buy your favorite 28oz can of plum tomato packed in water. Hunts, Redpack or San Marzano.  Add one teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon sugar for each 28oz. can used. Add fresh Basil to taste and a pinch of red pepper flakes then put in a pot bring to boil, simmer at med /lo heat  constantly stirring to breakup tomatos for 30 minutes. When done fold in 1/4 cup olive oil per can of tomato used.  DONE.
  OK that is a base sauce, plain and good to eat as is. If you want to add some flavor to use as a basic tomato sauce saute fresh garlic and onion in Olive oil that I mentioned before.
  Heat up a skillet or castr iron pan. Smash Garlic with a knife about 8 cloves and saute in EVOO about a 1/4 cup until a light brown color is achieved. DO NOT BURN but toast garlic [ very important]. Add one pound Shrimp to hot oil and remove after searing the shrimp for approx. 20 seconds [ sear them doNOT cook them through]
   Deglaze pan with white wine [ the one you drink] just a splash not much.  Add tomato sauce [ enough for the pasta you are making, about two cups per pound of pasta] heat through then add shrimp and RED PEPPER flakes and cook approx 5 to 8 minutes or until Shrimp are done DO NOT OVERCOOK SHRIMPIES they get to dry. Add cooked pasta to pan and heat through until most of the sauce is soaked up by pasta. If yalike it saucy play with the sauce until you have your preference in the amount used.
  Garnish with fresh basil  and ENJOY!!!




charles

[WGH]

Sounds good Charles.

I do a variation with penne pasta. The drained pasta and shrimp is added to the sauce, toss gently, then I add 2 tablespoons vodka (the one you drink) and 1/2 cup cream or milk. Let rest for a couple of minutes then mix in 1/2 cup flat-leaf parsley.

Wayne

[Stu Pitt]

That's pretty similar to my Grandfather's recipie.  He grew up in Calabria, Italy.  In the old country, the women did 99% of the cooking, and it was reportedly very good.  When the men cooked, it was a very special meal that embarrased the women's cooking.  I've heard that from several other families from Italy.

When sauteeing in a cast iron pan, my grandfather also added an anchovie or two.  They liquified in the pan.  I'm not an anchovie fan at all, but it adds a great (slight) saltiness and very subtle flavor to the sauce that took it up a notch.  I've made it with and without, and definitely prefer it with an anchovie.

An Italian restaurant I bartended at used anchovies the same way.

[Construct]

Maybe some of you folks with firsthand experience can confirm or deny:  I was told Italians will prepare sauces the night before they are intended to be served. T/F?

 This makes sense, because like most sauces/chili/soup/etc the flavor intensifies with a little age. 

[Stu Pitt]

I'm sure some do, but I don't know anyone who does.  Cooking overnight might make it a little better, but I wouldn't leave the stove on over-night.  My grandparents used an old cast-iron like pot.  That added some flavor.

The majority of the sauces my family and I have cooked take a few hours.  Start it around noon or so, and its ready by dinner time.

Edit:  Now that I think about it, the Italian restaurant I bartended at always had a huge pot of sauce on a single burner in the corner of the kitchen.  It stayed on simmer and never went off (except for changing pots).  Probably more for keeping that amount of sauce available rather than for aging.  Next time I'm in that area, I'll ask them.

[geezer]

When my wife makes sauce, we almost always have it the next day; it's always better.

I second the motion re using anchovies. Try putting three or four in the next pot you make.

[Stu Pitt]

When my wife makes sauce, we almost always have it the next day; it's always better.

I second the motion re using anchovies. Try putting three or four in the next pot you make.

How many anchovies you use depends on the size of the pot.  Cooking for only my wife and I, 1 anchovie goes a long way.  Cooking for 8, it doesn't go nearly as far.

[gitarretyp]

My basic tomato sauce is pretty similar, but I add a moderate amount of wine--quite a bit more than necessary for deglazing--because some tomato flavors are only soluble in alcohol, plus it adds a nice fruity flavor of its own.

[ctviggen]

That's true:  alcohol can dissolve some flavors that water will not.

[rahimlee54]

I prefer to add my basil after the sauce has boiled, I read somewhere it will wilt if cooked for a long time.  It works out for me  either way.

[gitarretyp]

That's also a good point, I don't add the basil until later because overcooking basil leads to its becoming bitter.

This isn't a basic (or traditional Italian) tomato sauce, but it's one of my favorites: http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/emeril-lagasse/roasted-cherry-tomatoes-with-angel-hair-pasta-recipe/index.html

[rollo]

  The basil will not bitter the sauce. Now the anchovy is great when making a Pizziola sauce. Red Wine, anchovy, parsley make it so nice.
  Remeber gents the sauce described is a base sauce. You can flavor it anyway ya want later.
  Sunday sauce [ Ragu] is a horse of another color. Our family secret [ Sicily] is using clove and cinnamon. A pinch of cinnimom and the ball of the clove for each can of tomato used. It adds a unique flavor that is never detected as clove or cinnamon.
  Pizzola Sauce is great for hearty meats. heat up the cast iron skillet add EVOO, garlic anchovy until toasted not burnt. add base sauce, plenty of parsley red wine and cook about 5 minutes. ENJOY!!!


charles

[Mama Virtue]

I'll have to try this. I generally don't bother to make my sauce from scratch, I tend to start with some cheap @ss store bought sauce and add garlic, onion, oregano, basil and ground beef to it. Course it sounds like with the prep work I already do, starting from scratch is only one or 2 steps extra. And probably much better tasting!