Aunt Cindys Red Sauce Recipes

HOW TO MAKE THE PERFECT RED SAUCE

Steps:

• Pour the olive oil into a 12 inch skillet and heat on low heat. Add the diced onion and saute' until the onions are slightly golden. In the meantime, crush the canned tomatoes with your hands until smooth and then add them to the skillet. Cook 10 to 15 minutes. Salt and pepper to taste. Then chop the basil leaves and add them to the sauce. Add crushed pepper flakes if you want to make it more spicy, or eggplant or zucchini. I like to add about 4 cloves minced garlic in with the onion at the beginning for added flavor.

HOMEMADE ITALIAN RED SAUCE

Steps:

• Heat olive oil in a large saucepan over medium-high heat. Saute onion and garlic in hot oil until onion is translucent, 5 to 7 minutes.
• Reduce heat to medium-low. Add water, crushed tomatoes, tomato paste, basil, baking soda, and sugar; season with salt and pepper. Stir mixture, bring to a simmer, and cook until the sauce is thickened, about 2 hours.

CLASSIC RED SAUCE

Steps:

• Puree the tomatoes to a smooth, creamy consistency in a food processor or with an immersion blender. (If you like a more country feel, you can wait and break them up in the pan later with a wooden spoon.)
• Heat the olive oil over medium-high heat in a large saucepan. When hot, add the onion and saute 5 to 6 minutes, or until soft. Add the garlic and cook 2 to 3 minutes, until you see the color start changing. If you'd like to make the sauce spicy, add the red pepper flakes.
• Add the tomatoes and season with salt and pepper to taste. Reduce the heat to medium low and simmer about 30 minutes. (If you did not puree the tomatoes, use a wooden spoon to break them into pieces while they cook.) Strive for balance in the consistency of the sauce: It has to be fluid, but it should not look overly wet. Add the basil and remove from the heat. Toss with just-cooked pasta.