Now that we have dough we need sauce.
A simple red sauce is incredibly easy. In theory. Getting it just right for your taste is a different story. Do you want a sauce that highlights the fresh tomato taste, or a rich sauce that is heavy on the herbs and loaded with red wine? I prefer the latter, but whatever.
The basics are this: tomatoes and onion. You can dump a can of tomatoes into a pot, toss in a half of an onion, and cook for 20 minutes or so. How hard is that?
Since there are a million recipes online I wasn't even sure I should write this post. My point is not to give you a sure fire recipe, but to share what I have learned in the million times I have made it.
Since I am lazy, I use the same sauce for everything. Pasta, pizza, meatball sandwiches. Everything. I don't have a recipe for my sauce, but I will try to describe my method.
Like I said, I prefer a heavy sauce. You can use a recipe at first, but you will quickly see how easy it is to just wing it. I start with a can of tomato sauce (tomato sauce is one of the few things we use out of a can because peeling and seeding fresh tomatoes is a pain in the butt. We all have our limits, you guys.) I use a small can when it is just Hannah and I, and a large can when the gang is all here.
I then add oregano, basil, and thyme. It's basically 3 parts oregano, 2 parts basil, 1 part thyme. For a small can of sauce, maybe 1 teaspoon of oregano. You can always add more. 1-2 cloves of diced garlic. Half a yellow onion, diced. Next, a healthy pinch of salt and a few grinds of black pepper. Finally, I pour some of the contents of my wine glass into the pot. Simmer for at least 10 minutes until it is the desired thickness. You can always add some tomato paste to thicken it up.
A few tips. One, keep the heat low! If you try to bring it to a simmer too quickly, it will spit sauce all over your stove and your shirt. Two, keep it at a low simmer, not a boil. Three, use yellow onions instead of white. I read somewhere that there is nearly no difference in taste, but yellow onions have more of the chemical that makes your eyes water, which goes away when you cook them. If you are cooking them, yellow. If eating raw, white.
Finally, and most important, I was intentionally vague in giving amounts. This sauce is best when it is exactly what you want it to be. Don't be beholden to a recipe. This means you will be tasting it a dozen times while cooking. Add herbs and salt slowly. Learn by experience what you like. Can't taste the garlic? add a bit more. And, as usual, never underestimate the power of salt. If your sauce tastes a bit bland and you can't figure out why, add more salt. If you add too much, you can always put some more tomato sauce in the pot and it will dilute the salt.
A simple red sauce is incredibly easy. In theory. Getting it just right for your taste is a different story. Do you want a sauce that highlights the fresh tomato taste, or a rich sauce that is heavy on the herbs and loaded with red wine? I prefer the latter, but whatever.
The basics are this: tomatoes and onion. You can dump a can of tomatoes into a pot, toss in a half of an onion, and cook for 20 minutes or so. How hard is that?
Since there are a million recipes online I wasn't even sure I should write this post. My point is not to give you a sure fire recipe, but to share what I have learned in the million times I have made it.
Since I am lazy, I use the same sauce for everything. Pasta, pizza, meatball sandwiches. Everything. I don't have a recipe for my sauce, but I will try to describe my method.
Like I said, I prefer a heavy sauce. You can use a recipe at first, but you will quickly see how easy it is to just wing it. I start with a can of tomato sauce (tomato sauce is one of the few things we use out of a can because peeling and seeding fresh tomatoes is a pain in the butt. We all have our limits, you guys.) I use a small can when it is just Hannah and I, and a large can when the gang is all here.
I then add oregano, basil, and thyme. It's basically 3 parts oregano, 2 parts basil, 1 part thyme. For a small can of sauce, maybe 1 teaspoon of oregano. You can always add more. 1-2 cloves of diced garlic. Half a yellow onion, diced. Next, a healthy pinch of salt and a few grinds of black pepper. Finally, I pour some of the contents of my wine glass into the pot. Simmer for at least 10 minutes until it is the desired thickness. You can always add some tomato paste to thicken it up.
A few tips. One, keep the heat low! If you try to bring it to a simmer too quickly, it will spit sauce all over your stove and your shirt. Two, keep it at a low simmer, not a boil. Three, use yellow onions instead of white. I read somewhere that there is nearly no difference in taste, but yellow onions have more of the chemical that makes your eyes water, which goes away when you cook them. If you are cooking them, yellow. If eating raw, white.
Finally, and most important, I was intentionally vague in giving amounts. This sauce is best when it is exactly what you want it to be. Don't be beholden to a recipe. This means you will be tasting it a dozen times while cooking. Add herbs and salt slowly. Learn by experience what you like. Can't taste the garlic? add a bit more. And, as usual, never underestimate the power of salt. If your sauce tastes a bit bland and you can't figure out why, add more salt. If you add too much, you can always put some more tomato sauce in the pot and it will dilute the salt.
