Convince me that your spaghetti sauce is the world's best

[DuctapeFatwa]

Include secrets.

I am skeptical but open-minded.

[SOteric]

1. My mother was an Italian woman,

born and raised in Parma, Italy who trained in the culinary arts at the Cordon Bleu in Paris and apprenticed for 7 years with a French Master Chef.

My recipe is mama's recipe.

[DuctapeFatwa]

3. I know who YOU are, you are the one that scared people with

the mole recipe that started off "walk to the cacao tree" or words to that effect.

Your spaghetti sauce recipe in its entirety would give me nightmares of inadequacy. Just cut to the secrets.

[SOteric]

15. How 'bout I give up a generic secret that works for all sauces?

The human palate experiences 5 and sometimes 6 tastes. It's a matter of genetics and personal chemistry.

Sweet
Salty
Sour
Bitter
Spicy (peppery, hot), and sometimes
umami (more often in Asians, Greeks and Italians)

To improve any sauce, don't finish the final flavouring acts with a mere sprinkling of salt and pepper. Enchant the entire palate. In subtle amounts appropriate to salt and pepper, I use a sherry reduction or honey, or a sprinkle of demarrara sugar for the sweet; a dash of malt vinegar, a tiny amount of dijon mustard, a squeeze of fresh lemon for the tart; angostura bitters, unsweetened cocoa powder, hot sauces, - fresh ground pepper, -whatever seems appropriate to the recipe and is not otherwise represented in the product.

[DuctapeFatwa]

18. WOW! and I thought my secret of adding vinegar and coca-cola

to almost anything was so doubleplus arcane. I put chile in hot chocolate, what will happen if I put in just a soupcon of chocolate (unsweetened, regular Luker block) in the spaghetti sauce?

[SOteric]

26. I have to recommend it.

I use angostura bitters because the flavours really combine well with the fruitiness of the tomatoes. But the chocolate will accomplish the same thing in it's own distinctive way.

[DuctapeFatwa]

31. Thanks! I will let you know how it turns out

The 5 palate departments thing is really good. I'm going to start doing that with everything :)

[Whitacre D_WI]

33. Mmmm... umami...

That's that "special something" you get when you eat anchovies, soy sauce, Parmiagianno-Reggiano, etc., right? Yummy.

[regnaD kciN]

34. In terms of spices...

...my ex (who made a fantastic sauce) added a bit of sugar as well. She also found one major trick: instead of seasoning with salt, use a bit of soy sauce -- it gives a richer flavor. I tried a little experimenting on my own, and found that adding a dash of Worcestershire along with the soy gave it a nice accent.

[Booberdawg]

51. I saved this for next time I make my pot of sauce.

:thumbsup:

[Whitacre D_WI]

13. Seriously, SOteric,

PLEASE send me your recipe. Pretty please?

Look, if there are any secrets to it, leave them out. I have a great deal of (amateur) kitchen experience, especially with various regional Italian cuisines, so I think I can get it pretty good.

But yeah, I bet your mother's sauce is the bomb, and I want it dropped on me.

[TrueAmerican]

2. Ragu

with Super Mushrooms. hmm, good.

[DuctapeFatwa]

17. You think Ragu is better than Paul Newman's

(Now we are getting down to MY level of spaghettology)

[corarose]

4. I am Irish so mine isn't the best but boy can my Cousin Cook

Her family was from Italy. Do you want an Irish Red Sauce hmmm they probably would be blood from a fight outside a pub.

[DuctapeFatwa]

5. hmm, aren't you Cordon Bleu? Yours is probably too scary too

but I definitely want the secrets!

[Name removed]

7. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[Booberdawg]

6. Don't know if it's the best in the world but passed down from

my Italian grandmother to my dad to me and my brothers.

I get special requests for it over the years and need a huge pot to cook it in because so much goes in to it, and it's a bit expensive to make.

I use short ribs or spare ribs, a post chop, hambuger, pork sausage, sometimes another kind of beef like a chuck roast.

Tomato sauce and tomato paste. Spices. Cover and heat VERY low for as much as 24 hours - till meat falls off the bones and sauce turns darker.

Cut up meat.

Serve over pasta. Freezes well.

[DuctapeFatwa]

10. What spices go in it? sounds like the meat is flexible

how do you keep it from sticking? how much sauce/paste do you put in?

[Booberdawg]

14. I fill the pot with sauce, however many cans it takes

maybe 5 once all the meat is in there, and a 16 ounce can of paste.

Onion flakes, garlic flakes or I use real garlic sometimes, a bay leaf, geeze I grab them out of the spice cabinet and I don't have it committed to memory nor do I measure. Italian spices.

The heat has to be very low or it will burn to the bottom of the pan and ruin the whole pot. I had better luck with a gas stove. A crock pot works okay but I can't make as much that way.

My dad makes it with all neck bones now. He's cheap. More work to pull the meat from the bones. I like mine with all the extra meat better.

[DuctapeFatwa]

19. What is your position on anise seed?

Basil, oregano, marjoram?

[Booberdawg]

24. I've never used anise seed

But I'm not an expert cook either. I just repeat what I copied from dad 25 years ago and would have to ask him.

Better yet, I'd consult SOteric on ways to improve and expand on the spices in this sauce? :D

[K8-EEE]

29. ANISE!

Ooooh baby you're talking my language...and fennel too!

Has anybody ever had the liquor, Anisette? WHOA OAAAAAA!!! I had it in Spain, I think it's illegal here, as well it should be. It's like a halucinagenic liquor!! At least that was the effect on me. SCARY!

[K8-EEE]

11. Naaah....

It makes me sad when anybody gets banned. I would like to think we could all work it out and hang together, you know? Ah but what do you expect from a knee jerk Liberal like myself?

[K8-EEE]

8. My Secret?? COMPOST!

My spaghetti sauce is SO SPECIAL, it's available only from June through October. But I start it in February, by digging in homemade compost (mostly pine needles, pepper tree leaves and coffee grounds.)

Yep my tomatoes are planted in March after four weekends of digging, by then the soil resembles chocolate cake. I grow red and yellow roma varieties and also basil from seed.

I can make sauce in the traditional way but in the summer my favorite "sauce" is not really a sauce but a combination of warm-off-the-vine tomatoes choppped and sauteed in olive oil and garlic. Throw the spaghetti in the skillet and then some fresh diced mozzerella cheese, garnish with parmesan, crushed red pepper.

Open a bottle of something from the CA Central Coast. Then just be glad to be alive.

[K8-EEE]

9. Warning Atkins Dieters....

STAY OFF THIS THREAD!

[corarose]

16. You can have tomatoes on Dr. Atkins

You also can have butter and I believe olive oil. How about a Pesto for your pasta.

[K8-EEE]

28. Oh, I'm Ahead Of You On The Pesto....

See below!

Actually I like to use walnuts instead of pine nuts in mine.

Kind of a killjoy not have some pasta with the sauce though!

[DuctapeFatwa]

12. spaghetti in the skillet? you mean cooked, right?

It sounds great! (Except for the California wine part, but that's a flame war for another day)

[K8-EEE]

27. Oh yes, cooked of course!

Yeah, and you don't really "cook" the tomatoes you just sort of coat them in hot oil then toss everything else in.

My other summer fave is pesto since I always have pots and pots of basil! You can't freeze the basil in leaf form but the pesto freezes great so, I just had some. If you freeze it in ice cube trays then keep them in a ziplock bag.

Half of my fam is vegetarian, but I do like turkey sausage with that! Yep it's still bbq season here in So CA!

My fave wine comes from St. Luis Obispo, but that is just a matter of what you are used to I suppose. I am blessed with very inexpensive tastes, $8 bottle of central coast merlot and I'm in heaven!

[GOPisEvil]

20. Basic tomato sauce

1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
1 Spanish onion, diced
4 garlic cloves, peeled and thinly sliced
3 tablespoons chopped fresh thyme leaves, or 1 tablespoon dried
1/2 medium carrot, finely shredded
2 (28-ounce) cans peeled whole tomatoes, crushed by hand and juices reserved
Salt, to taste

In a 3-quart saucepan, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the onion and garlic and cook until soft and light golden brown, about 8 to 10 minutes. Add the thyme and carrot and cook 5 minutes more, until the carrot is quite soft. Add the tomatoes and juice and bring to a boil, stirring often. Lower the heat and simmer for 30 minutes. Season with salt and serve.

[DuctapeFatwa]

21. That sounds very close to doable. What is the role of the carrot?

for sweetness?

[GOPisEvil]

22. Sweetness, you are correct.

I punch mine up with crushed red pepper when I'm feeling spicy! :-)

[Ediacara]

23. Get a BIG frying pan

I have a frying pan literally two feet in diameter and four or five inches deep. Anyway, turn on the stove to medium heat and put some olive oil in there.

Add finely a chopped white onion, and about 3 or 4 cloves of garlic finely chopped.

Let that sautee for about 10 minutes and slice about 10 crimini mushrooms, add them in, and sautee. The mushrooms will take on almost all of your olive oil, so add some more.

Set the mushrooms, onion, and garlic aside.

Chop up about 15-20 Roma tomatoes into pieces about 1 cm cubed, and put those in the frying pan and let them stew for about 30 minutes. Skin a zucchini and chop it up and add it in.

Transfer the tomatoe stuff and mushroom stuff into a pot, and let that simmer for a while. If you must... add tomato paste.

Add crushed red pepper, basil, rosemary and oregano, and about a spoon of sugar.

Let it stew on low heat for about 3 hours to get rid of the raw tomato flavor.

[Sentath]

25. Ginger

Anyone else use it?

[DuctapeFatwa]

30. Whoa! now THAT's an unexpected secret!

I'm going to do it! Thanks!

[Sentath]

39. Be careful with it

It counts as both an aromatic and a heat element.

I reccomend either just a little freshly grated, or a few drops of juice.

[aQuArius]

32. Mine isn't....

so I won't try to convince you of anything.

[kayleybeth]

35. If you like a sweet sauce

you would probably like mine. I'm a vegetarian so I use fake meat (fake hamburger, fake Italian sausage and fake bacon) but even the hardcore meat eaters usually love it. Also has sauteed onions, green peppers, garlic, and mushrooms in the sauce. The only complaints I ever get are from folks who don't like a sweet sauce (I always add a teaspoon or two of white sugar). I use the leftover sauce for lasagne, or just mix it with cooked spaghetti, cover it with cheddar cheese and bake it in the oven. Spaghetti sauce is about the only dish I ever cook anymore since my DH is such a great cook and likes to cook a lot more than I do.

[Interrobang]

36. My spaghetti sauce -- heavy on the chunks and flavours!

You will need:

Hamburger
Onions, chopped
Basil, oregano, crushed black pepper
Hot sauce/hot chili flakes
chopped garlic (at LEAST 1/2 head)

olive oil
chopped fresh tomatoes (red, yellow, Roma, whatever)

1 can+ whole or diced tomatoes
1 can+ Hunt's Thick and Rich Garlic & Herb pasta sauce
~1/2c. water

chopped cremini, portobello, or (as a last resort) agraricus mushrooms (or a combination thereof)
1 chopped zucchini, and preferably 1 chopped courgette as well (yellow zucchini)
chopped red, green, yellow, orange, purple, or otherwise bell peppers

1/2c + *good* red wine -- drinking wine, not cooking wine!

Options:

ham cubes
black olives
eggplant chunks


In a large pot, brown hamburger (however much you've got), adding chopped onions just as it's nicely starting to turn brown (I'm non-partisan; I'll use anything except green onions and leeks). Add basil, oregano, black pepper, some Mr. Goudas brand hot sauce, fresh or dried parsley, and stir. Add a portion of the garlic (do NOT let it burn or turn brown!), and then the tomatoes and olive oil almost immediately. Let the tomatoes cook in the olive oil for a minute or so (to release the heart-healthy chemicals and to increase the flavour), then add the sauce, canned tomatoes, and water. (NB: If you are adding ham, put it in here.)

Simmer for at least 1/2 hr.. then add the zucchini, courgette, and peppers (also eggplant), and more garlic. Simmer at least 1/2 hr. then add the mushrooms (and black olives), and more garlic. Add more basil, oregano, etc. if necessary at all stages.

Approx. 5 min before serving, add the red wine and stir vigorously.

The secrets: Adding lots of garlic at different times gives a sweet garlic taste and a pungent, garlicky taste.
The wine...
Adding the different veggies at different times means nothing winds up too soggy.

[DuctapeFatwa]

40. That's a cool secret! Thanks! I haven't ever seen courgette

I will look for some.

[radfringe]

37. try it

ingredients:

1 lb hamburg
3 large onions
3 cloves of garlic
italian seasoning
can of chicken broth (optional - makes the flavor a bit milder)
sugar (optional - cuts the acid in tomatoes)
large can of tomato sauce
large can of tomato paste

In a large sauce pan add the tomato sauce, tomato paste, chicken broth and 3 cups of water. add in minced or chopped garlic, seasoning, and a teaspoon of sugar - turn on high heat until it comes to a roiling boil, then turn it down to simmer

in a frying pan - scramble up the hamburg, with chopped onions, cook throughly - drain off the fat and add it to the tomato sauce

let it simmer and cook down, add water as needed to prevent burning

the longer it cooks the better it tastes...

other ingredients - sliced peppers, mushrooms, zucchini, and/or tofu
for vegetarians - eliminate the hamburg and chicken broth and use veggies of choice

for a twist on the "texture/flavor" - about 5 minutes before serving - toss in bean sprouts - gives it a nice crunchy texture to the sauce

[DuctapeFatwa]

41. Now that is something I would never have thought of!

Two things, actually. Even though "milder" is not something I generally look for in food, I am curious about the chicken broth thing..

[Zuni]

38. I love spaghetti sauce

It is among one of life's true pleasures.

[nuxvomica]

42. My mom makes the best spaghetti sauce

She's of French-Canadian extraction so her tendency is to use butter in everything but she learned the art of Sicilian cooking from my dad's mother so she can make a spaghetti sauce that is simple and perfect. The only ingredients are homemade sausage, tomato paste, crushed tomatoes, garlic, olive oil, and wine. Two things you never put in spaghetti sauce: onions and sugar. I'm not sure of the exact methodology but it's neither acidic nor sweet when she's done with it.

edit: I forgot the secret ingredient: a touch of mint leaf.

[DuctapeFatwa]

43. That is original! Really different

I can see I'm going to have to do this more than once, I want to try it without onions or sugar, and WITH mint. It sounds strange. It sounds so strange I think it must be very good...

[Robb]

44. Secret ingredient:

Soy sauce instead of salt. Shhhh! :)

[Darth_Kitten]

45. it's the CHUNKS.....

of onion, green pepper, and mushrooms in a mouth-watering meaty tomato sauce, delicately seasoned with garlic and oregano.

CHUNKS of goodness that will stick to your ribs for DAYS. Convinced? :evilgrin:

[HEyHEY]

46. Secret ingredient: Ragu

No try cinimon...then look at the package and tell me how to spell it.

[DuctapeFatwa]

49. Spaghettological shout out to Greece!

Greeks put cinnamon in EVERYTHING.

The weird thing is, it always tastes really good.

You are the second person to say Ragu, I am wondering now if Ragu is really better, or if it is just popular. You know the word "Ragu" has now become a generic term for spaghetti sauce in some languages, like Kleenex or scotch tape in English...

[HEyHEY]

55. hmmm

Well, when I don't have the time to make real sauce...I find ragu and the right spices work...

I posted alot this summer looking for advice and my sauce is getting okay now.

[populistmom]

47. I couldn't convince you- I'm English and Swedish- my sauce is nonexistant

I have been fortunate to be friends though with some wonderful women of Italian decent in my life and I've sampled some wonderful sauces, but no one wants to give me their recipes, including my best friend who I have known for 16 years. It's like this whole secret thing, so I do the - gasp!- jar thing or simply wing it the best I can. :shrug:

[Commie Pinko Dirtbag]

48. Gorgonzola

Unlike other cheeses, it has no elasticity -- it crumbles and dissolves smoothly in the tomato sauce. Two cubic inches per pound of sauce give it killer flavor.

[DuctapeFatwa]

50. but isn't that like putting Roquefort in your spaghetti sauce?

I am very curious about this, just a little hesitant, isn't gorgonzola like an Italian Stilton?

[Commie Pinko Dirtbag]

53. This is Gorgonzola

(click on picture for some facts, scroll down for Gorgonzola)


And yes, I would agreee such sauce would appear more "proper" with pastas other than spaghetti, but I usually throw properness out of the window when I'm in the kitchen. Results are usually much successful with family.

[Kellanved]

56. roquefort works even better

It has a stronger aroma.
The result isn't exactly italian anymore, though.
:hi:

[chaska]

52. Three to try. 1) Add a little Balsamic vinegar...

balanced with a little sugar to cut the twang. Most excellent.

2) I also like it with spinach added.

3) Beer in spaghetti sauce is also very good.

[DuctapeFatwa]

54. I am a long-time Balsamic vinegar loyalist

The things I don't put it in would be a shorter list than those that I do. I kind of like the idea of spinach, added at the end, I guess, so it doesn't dissolve?

[Cleita]

57. I found out no one could tell the difference from homemade

and Ragu, so I save myself a lot of trouble and put a few extra ingredients in the Ragu like fresh mushrooms and a sprinkle of herbs and I'm done.

[DuctapeFatwa]

58. That's at least 3 for Ragu, this could be a question that needs a poll

:party: