So this weekend we have a TON of household stuff we need to get accomplished. So instead of going out to eat like we usually do on the weekends, I am cooking at home, and we traded out weekend dinners for St. Patrick's day dinner out and Mexican at our favorite place (El Sarape in Weymouth).
So seeing as Saturday we are home (not all day, have to run to IKEA and Target) and all, I thought I would be adventurous and try to do something new. I am going to try and make pasta sauce. Hey, it looks easy when Giada does it!
I know... I know... Married to an Italian man and don't know how to make the sauce... Shame on me. But truth be told, I never really made anything substantial when I was single, and we were always so busy during the dating/engagement years. So we always had jarred sauce.
Having the jarred sauce opened our horizon to new types of sauce that we can enjoy. Especially vodka, white wine, butter and red pepper sauce. But now it is time to spread my wings.
Sure, at some point I am going to learn my mother in law's recipe which is incredible, but for now, I am going to use one of my many cookbooks.
So dinner Saturday night will be:
Toasted homemade garlic bread with tomato, mozzarella, and prosciutto
Linguine with the homemade sauce and meatballs
And something yummy for desert
I am looking forward to being in the kitchen. We have a ton of cleaning to do in there, so I am going to clean while I cook. I am actually hoping to do some appliance shifting too, as I would really like to have my food processor readily available for stuff like making pico di guio.
Basic red sauce is really easy. I just use olive oil, add minced garlic and red pepper flakes, then toss in a can of crushed tomatoes, salt and pepper and some oregano, and call it a day. (Some would use basil, but I don't like basil.)
ReplyDeleteIf I want to fancy it up after the garlic I add grated carrot and grated onion (the husband doesn't like big pieces of onion)and some balsamic vinegar and let that cook down. Then add the crushed tomatoes and herbs and spices. That makes a much more substantial and yummy sauce!
It looked really easy when I saw it on TV. That was the general recipe too.
ReplyDeleteMy husband is the same way! I can't even get him to eat peas unless it is in soup, or super tender. I need to pick up the hiding food in food book that people buy for picky children. He needs to eat some veggies!
Thanks for the tips Lori!!! I will have to post how it came out.
How do you think I should jar the extra to freeze?
We've kept sauce pretty successfully just in plastic containers. Obviously like anything in the freezer you don't want to let it sit forever, but that would give you a couple months to use it before freezer burn and such set in.
ReplyDeletePreserving tomato sauce in jars is a whole different gig. I haven't tried that.
Good for you, learning to "make-a the sauce" like a proper Italian wifey! Let me know if you want to get together and make a batch of my Nona's ragu to split...it's the BEST
ReplyDeleteAbsolutely Christi... Let me know when!
ReplyDelete