Cooking advice needed

This does not qualify as “cooking”

Ask the person who ties your shoelaces for you.

Caramel sauce and tobacco

Fresh Basil, red wine, orange juice, a pinch of sugar

Make your own sauce. It's better. Buy angel hair and Parmigiano-Reggiano.

r4 is a good person, but r5 is what I clicked for.

Calamata olives

Italian sausage.

This.

Meal done.

Lightly sautéed fresh chopped basil with some garlic. Pour the pasta sauce in. Viola!

First, get good bottled sauce. I’d look for trader joe (humorously called trader giotto on the bottle), or Whole Foods, or the meatball shop sauce. All quite good straight out of the bottle so you don’t need to add anything.

But if you still want to, it’s a matter of what you like in your sauce. Like spicy? Add some crushed red pepper flakes. Or chopped onion and garlic. Adding bottled mushrooms will be savory (drain them well). Or finely chop some fresh herbs — maybe basil or oregano.

Let’s not tease op too much. She’s probably a busy lesbian who’s been repairing her gay friends car engine all day.

Sorry op I forgot to mention that you should let all of the above simmer in the sauce as long as possible.

Marcella Hazan's Sauce - 28 oz. can of tomatoes, 5 TBS butter, one onion cut in half, salt. Simmer for 45 minutes. Remove the onion. Cheaper than bottled junk and surprisingly delicious.

I like how someone who says he doesn't cook & specifically asked what he could dump tomato sauce on to make a meal is getting elaborate tomato sauce cooking recipes... Never change DL.

Copious amounts of weed.

Just buy a high-end brand like Rao's and don't do anything to it.

Marcella Hazan's sauce is hardly elaborate- it's barely a recipe.

Silver Palate or Victoria's low sodium sauces are ok. Regular jarred tomato sauce often has dangerously high levels of sodium. Melt a spoonful of butter to the sauce while it is heating for a richer sauce.

You can fill a pot with a jar or tow of sauce and cook Italian sausage or meatballs in it - just make sure it is cooked through. The fat from the meat and spices from the sausage will add flavor to the sauce.

Capers, chopped or whole Olives, as per above Artichokes, ditto A squeeze of lemon juice Lightly sauteed chopped FRESH garlic with a little crushed red pepper Julienned fresh basil Stir in some baby leaf spinach at the end

They key to this is the simmer time. I use Traditional Ragu Sauce. I brown ground beef (or italian sausage) and then add the sauce. You need to simmer this for 2 hours (the taste is unbelievable when done). You can also simmer onions and green peppers or add some Italian Seasoning Sauce but the KEY TO THIS IS THE 2 HOUR SIMMERING. I use 2 jars with about 1 1/2 of beef.

It is really really delicious. BUT SIMMER FOR TOW HOURS.

Simmer tow. Simmer tow.

Ragu is shit, and unless you are making a Bolognese nothing needs to cook for 2 hours- especially sugar-laden crap.

Cock!

[quote]Marcella Hazan's sauce is hardly elaborate- it's barely a recipe.

The point is, that wasn't his question. And let's break down your "suggestion" (which again, is not what was asked)

1. Buy a jar of tomato sauce = 1 minute. $8.00

2: Chop an onion on a cutting board with a knife - then clean the knife an board. Throw out onion peels = 10 min 2a. Use a saute pan AND a full size pot - with stirring utensils, then clean all of it when finished. = 30 minutes 2b. Spend 45 minutes waiting for this to be done, and make sure to pull the onion fragments out.

So, rather than 1 minute and zero cleaning - you advocate for 1 hour, 15 minutes and cleaning of a pan, a pot, a cutting board, and several utensils. Perhaps "elaborate" is the wrong word - but for someone who "Doesn't cook" and specifically asked for things to put a jar of tomato sauce on, this is absurd. Is absurd a better word than elaborate?

[quote]1. Buy a jar of tomato sauce = 1 minute. $8.00

Only the very high-end stuff costs that much. If you're going to doctor it up anyway, you can go with the stuff that costs $1-$2 at most.

I usually sauté sliced mushrooms in a little olive oil, then throw in some garlic toward the end. I add about 3/4-1 c. of red wine, then add both to the jarred sauce, and let it reduce down to the desired consistency. You can also add meat or meatballs, but sometimes I just like mushrooms. I'll often throw in any leftover vegetables in the fridge (spinach is nice). I try to start with a jarred sauce that doesn't have added sugar or corn syrup.

Make sure your jar sauce is Rao’s.

A bag of frozen meatballs and a jar of pasta sauce in a slow cooker for 4-5 hours

R 24, you don't chop an onion or saute anything. You throw it in with a can of tomatoes and butter. Are you retarded?

Sauté some onion and garlic and add to the sauce.

R24 - Wrong. Read the recipe again. Chop the onion in half. Don't peel it. Don't need a cutting board. Don't need a saute pan. All you have to do is pull the onion halves out at the end. The only extra required is a little time. It takes less effort than it took for you to concoct your absurd post.

R30, that poster is a retard.

Get a jar of pitted kalamata olives and slice those up. Also, crushed red pepper flakes. Pre-grated hard cheese (e.g., Parmesan, not the kind in the green can). Maybe some type of flat noodle (fettuccine) instead of spaghetti. I prefer corkscrew (fusilli) but that's not really fancy.

If you're willing to do more than that: fresh mushrooms, sliced, then dropped raw into the sauce to cook.

I love pappardelle.

Not that, r32. This:

Sugar, basil, mushrooms and garlic. Pre brown the garlic and mushrooms

Sugar? Brown garlic?

[quote]I’m not a cook. What can I add to jar pasta sauce to make a meal slightly more appealing?

SALT

They NEVER have enough salt to adequately season a pound of virtually unsalted pasta.

[quote]Buy angel hair

Angel hair is for soup.

[R37] no, not salt. Anything in a jar or can is laden with it already. Unless you want to have a stroke in a real hurry, of course. Food tastes great with less salt, but you need to train your taste buds by gradually reducing the salt in your home cooking.

Jar of sauce. Add a can of diced tomatoes with Italian herbs, or a can of stewed tomatoes Italian style. This will add some chunkiness to your sauce. Throw in a few fresh basil leaves. If you are capable, buy some Italian sausage or ground beef as suggested - brown the meat in a tiny bit of olive oil. It takes about 5-7 minutes to brown ground beef. Throw in a little fresh garlic, or if you don't know how to peel a garlic clove, throw in some garlic powder or granulated garlic. Pour off excess oil from ground beef or sausage and toss the meat into the sauce. Simmer for about 1/2 hour or so. Voila

[quote]but for someone who "Doesn't cook" and specifically asked for things to put a jar of tomato sauce on, this is absurd.

Your reading comprehension is pretty absurd. Here I will post the relevant part of OP's question before you berate us all a THIRD time, you dope!

[quote]What can I add to jar pasta sauce to make a meal slightly more appealing?

He's NOT asking what to put the sauce ON, he's asking what to put IN IT to spice it up a bit! Still your crabby bullying seemed to make you feel really great about yourself, so don't go changing!

Sauté ground sausage with onions and garlic. Add pasta sauce. Salt, bit of sugar, blk pepper, Italian seasoning. Then add chopped spinach (u can use frozen but just make sure you drain excess water), chopped mushrooms and a splash of white wine.

r41 - they can't read. Look at posts like r28 and r31 especially calling people "retarded" (so mature) for saying you need to answer the OP's question about what to put a jar of tomato sauce ON...not how to add numerous ingredients and cook it (when the OP specifies he does not cook). I think this thread must be some kind of joke that the OP is writing on different devices, since he never responded & I cannot understand how people could be illiterate enough to post the replies that they are posting.

r41 - he asked about making "a meal" with a jar of tomato sauce. Did I read it wrong? At this point - I don't give a fuck. You queens are beyond tiresome in this thread. Your brilliant suggestions about $2 ragu with an onion and butter - vomit - rather than just buying Rao's or Paesana... is beyond stupid.

Roasted garlic.

Yes, you did read it wrong R44. He asked what to add to the jar to make the meal more appealing. I'd assume anyone, even the most basic of people would serve a salad and some bread as well. Probably a bagged salad with the dressing included and frozen garlic bread.

Why did the OP never come back to respond to anything?

OP here. I appreciate the suggestions - simple and more complicated. Thanks all.

A baked pasta dish with dollops of ricotta and topped with mozzarella and Parmesan.

OP, let us know what you made.

If it must be easy, I suppose you will also demand cheap. YOU CAN'T HAVE BOTH!

To carry out your ill-conceived plan, first buy the best possible pasta sauce. Look for an Italian grocery or delicatessen in your community. But your ready made sauce there. NOT from CostCo. Get a sauce made in-house by the grocery or sourced for their customers. Also, buy Parmigiano-Reggiano while you are there. Since you are hopeless in the kitchen, buy it pre-grated, IF the grocer assures you it is fresh.

Otherwise, buy a jar of Rao's.

[quote]OP, let us know what you made.

Reservations.

Make some braciole to go along with the pasta.

Yeah, that's gonna happen, r53.

Stuffed shells or manicotti. If you really want to get fancy, you can make crepe style manicotti from scratch.

This might sound a bit strange, but adding a good quality can of tuna (preferably packed in olive oil) is good too and adds some extra protein.

Sauté half a chopped onion in some olive oil for 5-10 minutes until soft and translucent. Add a couple cloves of chopped garlic and red pepper flakes and sauté a minute longer. Add a pound of ground beef or sausage and saute until fat is rendered completely out and meat starts popping. Don’t drain the fat like a lot of recipes insist. Rendering the fat completely out adds flavor.

Then pour a quarter cup or so Marsala wine. Deglaze and scrape the pot of all brown bits. Again more flavor. Add some black pepper and a few shakes of Italian seasoning. Then add your jarred sauce and simmer for 20 minutes or so. Remove from heat and let sit covered for an hour. Heat back up for serving with hot pasta and cheese.

Congratulations, you’ve made delicious sauce!

Not if he starts with cheap-assed sugar laden sauce out of a bottle.

A really basic pasta fagioli - just sauce, chicken broth, ditalini, and drained & rinsed cannellini beans. Top with some fresh Parm or Romano.

[quote]Viola!

Hey, we're sort of talking Italian food here.

Shouldn't that be "Ecco!"

R24, only someone with no fucking arms would need 10 minutes to chop an onion, then wash a cutting board and knife. Same for 30 minutes to sauté chopped onion and then wash two pots.

R61, especially since the moron didn't even read Marcella's recipe. A 5 year old could make that.

Marcella's tomato-onion-butter sauce. So much better than sauce from a jar, and quite simple. The most complicated part of the recipe is pulsing whole canned tomatoes five times in the Cuisinart (that's what I do, anyway). It's cheap, too: the butter means you don't really need any cheese.

r1

FUCK YOU

For someone who can't cook - buy a chunky sauce with the garlic and onion already in the sauce. Add a can or two of diced tomatoes. If that's too chunky, add a can of crushed tomatoes. Add a teaspoon of sugar. Sprinkle in Italian seasoning. Add a bag of frozen meatballs. Heat it until it starts to boil, then leave it on simmer. You have to stir it to get the glop off the bottom. If it needs more taste, sprinkle in garlic or onion flakes.

Watch this guy. He's obese, he's Australian and he cooks with as few ingredients as possible and he's funny and charming.

You don't need a Cuisinart for Marcella's recipe.

r67 Yes, dear. That's why I added "that's what I do, anyway."

to make it easy, add some Italian seasonings and fry some ground beef or sausage with garlic and throw that in. Simmer for about 1/2 hour.

[quote]add some Italian seasonings

I hate dried basil, and oregano is not a favorite flavor. I use fresh basil only. I let a sprig or two steep in the sauce throughout, then chop fresh for serving.

Gourmet Garden brand garlic paste in a tube is actually quite good fwiw, vs. that oxidized crap in a jar. It's chilled and in the fresh produce section. Frozen minced onions are also convenient. Pictsweet brand used to sell a diced onion, celery, carrot blend, but I believe they discontinued it for some reason.

R71 here, sorry, I meant frozen diced onions.

[quote]frozen diced onions

are for people who truly have no interest in cooking, so I suppose they—and you—have a place in this thread, r72. But maybe you ought to stick to the sports and gossip threads.

Frozen diced onions? Dear God!

Cream or butter at the end. This will cut thru the acidity. If you have onion/ peppers/ mushrooms cook them in butter in pot before adding sauce. Cook the sauce down to reduce for thicker sauce. Don’t use fake garlic. Nasty!

Poach some eggs in the sauce (with a pinch of red pepper flakes), then serve over some toasted crusty Italian bread (fresh from the bakery), and top with Romano. It helps to strain the eggs in a slotted spoon first, before adding them to the sauce.

R73, apparently I offended some pretentious queen or some fat frau that sits around watching cooking shows all day, and is entertained by watching Food Network personalities chop onions... I cook with fresh onions too, I'm just saying there are uses for frozen diced onions too - If you're making something simple, like a meatloaf, or throw together a quick soup with pantry and frozen ingredients, they come in handy.

[quote]Poach some eggs in the sauce

Gag me with the spoon you'll inevitably need to use to rescue the sauce.

R78, it's actually a common recipe...

You can buy fresh chopped onions at many stores, including Trader Joe's. They even have it at the 99 Cents store.

Ragu makes a no-sugar-added sauce (and with 100% olive oil). I haven't tried it yet.

Splash of red wine and fresh thyme

[quote]You can buy fresh chopped onions at many stores, including Trader Joe's. They even have it at the 99 Cents store.

Just because you can doesn't mean you should.

Speaking of Ragu, here's a slew of recipes using their products. I'm sure you could adapt them to any other jarred pasta sauce.

Purgatory is just the place for it, r79.

Frozen diced onions are perfectly acceptable.

Frozen diced onions are perfectly acceptable to lazy fraucunts like r85, who probably buy jarred sauce by the case.

Fixed.

The troll OP who started this thread is from the troll farm department that is responsible for ridiculous subjects to get people fighting over the most inconsequential things. The way some of you go on about extravagant cooking is hilarious. You might as well make your own sauce from scratch with homegrown tomatoes. Unbelievable.

I haven't tried Rao's yet, but I generally stick with Classico brand sauce if I'm going to use a jarred sauce in a pinch. Side note, my mom's Italian, and her parent's are Italian immigrants themselves. They gardened, and I grew up helping them growing & jarring their own tomatoes as a kid. If I'm making sauce at home, I use these instead. If I recall, they're actually from Florida, but still really good nonetheless.

[quote]You might as well make your own sauce from scratch with homegrown tomatoes.

I usually use whole tomatoes. Cento is my favorite brand. I like these well enough that I don't buy San Marzano.

And a cheese rind to the sauce while it simmers. Gives it body and umami ( a nice salty but not overpowering deep flavor)

Frozen pearl onions are fine, but how fucking lazy can someone be to not dice an onion? That's pathetic. Some of you are better off eating at Olive Garden.

R91, you probably do eat at Olive Garden regularly, triggered fat lazy frau.

Fat lazy fraus don't garden and make their own meals entirely from scratch. They just sit their fat lazy asses on couches all day watching frau shows and emotionally over eating themselves to death.

Plenty of fraus garden.

R92, actually no. I eat at Nancy Silverton's place- good try.

R90, I highly doubt someone who doesn't cook would have a cheese rind laying around.

And I agree with the others, the idea of frozen diced onions is pathetic. Sad

The vitriol that some of these pasta threads produce is delightful. I love it!

R36 What is confusing? Sugar cuts the tartness and acidity of canned tomatoes. Sauteing garlicbrings out the flavor. Have you cooked before? Also, I add raw basil and butter.

You know what, r98? I was confused. I forgot we were talking about what to add to jarred sauce, as it's something I never use, and it looked as if you were creating a sauce of sugar and browned garlic. That said, I don't put sugar in tomato sauce, and I never let garlic get brown.

Cyanide, OP.

[quote] This might sound a bit strange, but adding a good quality can of tuna (preferably packed in olive oil) is good too and adds some extra protein.

Yes! Canned tuna plus some sliced black olives and red pepper flakes. I would use a short pasta, like mini-sized penne.

R88 , I like Classico as well. It has less sugar than Ragu and Prego.

I have recently discovered Mezzetta pasta sauces in the elongated, thin bottles.

They don’t add sugar, which helps avoid that sickly-sweetnesses jarred sauces are prone to.

The onion and butter version is pretty good, among others.

It’s the Mezzetta Regional Recipes line. I have no experience with their other sauce lines

I always add a pinch of sugar whenever I cook with tomatoes. It brings out the natural sweetness of tomatoes and it balances the flavor. Esp with stir fried tomatoes. Always add a bit of sugar.

R39 : Sauce for pasta is supposed to be a little salty because it has to flavour / season the pasta itself. You need to stop serving bland, insipid tasting food to people that have no salty / bitter / sweet or sour element to carry the flavour.

I do NOT care for the anti-salt people either, they are usually insufferable. Salt brings out so much in the various ways it's used. Why would one deny stimulating one if our natural senses? And spare me the bullshit "I'm watching my sodium" routine.

Ignore R4 and NEVER add sugar. In fact if the jar has sugar, HFCS or any other sweetener take it back.

I'm like OP. The husbear cooks elaborate meals whereas I cook simple, but tasty. Love learning about simple and fast tricks to add flavor and enjoyment.

Stir fry some chopped onions, garlic, some butter, some herbs, some veggies (carrots, eggplant, zuchini...)

Add the tomato sauce at the end.

Also... Cheese.

These jarred sauces generally have enough sweetness. But if I’m starting from scratch, I will add sugar to tomatoes if it tastes too tart.

NOTHING worse than sugar on tomatoes. Ignore all the sugar addicts.

OP here. I made a variation in R57’s proposal last night. I added some basil from my garden and used ground turkey instead of beef (which I assume will generate all sorts of criticism).

I was happy with this I may try Marcella Hazen’s Sauce next.

I'm Italian and I have a DNA test to prove it. I've never even been to America or seen an Italian American. I'm using a translator program to translate these words into English (yes the program was written by an Italian). The only food I eat is grown on Italian land by native Italians. I came here to say you are all pretentious cunts.

I’m honored to have had my suggestion chosen OP! Ground turkey is fine, although I find it a bit lean and usually add a bit more fat when using it; a pat of butter works.

It was easy, wasn’t it?

A quality tuna such a Cento in olive oil is excellent ,very Italian ,very simple and also delicious . Also some green peas for color. Some of you people are such know it alls and give such ridiculous suggestions. Why would you have to slow cook frozen meatballs for 5 hours ? Adding sugar ? If you can’t doo Marcella Hazans sauce then I do not know what to say ,also ,ground fucking turkey ? Is that for you low cal freaks? Does that make it healthy? Why don't you just add tofu crumbles to complete the fuckery.

If I were making something with a bottled sauce as a base, I would use Victoria brand before any other.

Even though it's more expensive, it tastes better than the others.

[quote]Ground turkey is fine, although I find it a bit lean and usually add a bit more fat when using it

If you're using ground turkey (or chicken), use thigh meat (7% or so), not breast meat. Cooked ground breast meat has the texture of styrofoam.

r104 has watched entirely too many cooking shows if she really believes this piece of horseshit:

[quote]I always add a pinch of sugar whenever I cook with tomatoes. It brings out the natural sweetness of tomatoes

If you are using good tomatoes, you don't need sugar. If the tomatoes aren't the greatest, my grandmother would add some shredded carrot for a natural sweetner.

add a cup of Coffee, can of diced tomatoes with juice. Boil those 2 ingredients uncovered to reduce liquids, add canned or bottled sauce, , 1/2 siick of butter, 1/2 teaspoon of garlic powder and a big squirt of catsup. Simmer uncovered to thicken a bit more.

Or brown a pound of hot Bob Evans sausage, drain, add the bottled sauce and the above (except the butter).

And no need to go high end bottled sauce either. Use Hunts in the can.

Another vote for Victoria sauce.

Bob Evans sausage. Got that, girls? It better be BOB EVANS!

R96 Silly, you get the cheese rind when you get the RegParm cheese. Why throw the rind away when you can put it to work. You can also add an anchovy when you sautee the onion any garlic, that also adds great flavor.

R98 Oooo, I love that cat claw to the throat. I feel your passion.

Capers. You could try wisking in some extra virgin olive oil right before you dump it on whatever. Get quality hard Italian cheese to finish your pasta. That will add plenty of flavor.

R117 I heard good things about it. It is expensive. I bought a bottle on sale and with a dollar off coupon added. I noticed it was missing from my pantry after I'd had guests over one day.

Wow, stealing sauce!

Upthread someone mentioned Paesana sauce.

Is it worth buying?

R126 belongs in the When to Leave a Party thread.

[quote]Sauce for pasta is supposed to be a little salty because it has to flavour / season the pasta itself.

No. Salt the water the pasta cooks in so the flavor isn't leached out during the process. Samin Nosrat does an excellent job of explaining the science in Salt Fat Acid Heat. She recommends 1 tablespoon of (table) salt per quart of water. (Or 2 T of Diamond Crystal Kosher per qt, if you're a proper DLer.)

OP there are several one-pan pasta meals online that are easy as can be. You put all of the ingredients in a skillet—including the UNCOOKED pasta—bring to a boil, then simmer, covered, for about 20 or 25 minutes, stirring every ten minutes or so until pasta is not stiff anymore. Remove from heat, stir in uncooked basil or spinach leaves generously, and serve.

Also, if chopping garlic isn't your thing, most grocery stores sell minced garlic in small jars that are a workable substitute.

[quote]Also, if chopping garlic isn't your thing, most grocery stores sell minced garlic in small jars that taste and smell like oxidized shit.

Fixed.

[quote]Esp with stir fried tomatoes.

Who stir-fries tomatoes?

[quote]OP there are several one-pan pasta meals online that are easy as can be. You put all of the ingredients in a skillet—including the UNCOOKED pasta—bring to a boil, then simmer, covered, for about 20 or 25 minutes, stirring every ten minutes or so until pasta is not stiff anymore.

Because making pasta is SO difficult, it needs an alternate method.

This thread types fat.

R136 types Perceptive of the Obvious.

[quote]I came here to say you are all pretentious cunts

Because an Italian word will directly translate to "cunt". Right.

[quote]Sono venuto qui per dire che sei tutte fiche pretenziose

In Italian: "Sono venuto qui per dire che sei tutte fiche pretenziose."

Vai mona.

R114, your "translator program" knew the word "cunt"?

R124 a couple of the grocery stores near me actually sell the rinds, lol, which is rather cool.

Apparently, r141. Even more interesting, there's a male form, "fico," as well as a female, "fica."

I put rinds of Parm in whenever I can.

Fwiw, if you go to Google Translate and do a translation of "I came here to say you are all pretentious cunts", it brings back "Sono venuto qui per dire che sei tutte fiche pretenziose". If you put that back into Google Translate to translate it back to English, it brings back "I came here to say that you are all pretentious chips"

"fighe"

We all know that the poster is a bullshitter now at this point anyway.

Thank you, r146. There's no easier way to find the correct answer to something than to post the incorrect answer on Datalounge.

r139

You're welcome, R148, but the best way to thank me would be to occasionally use a colander to drain your pasta when required.

[quote] [R114] your "translator program" knew the word "cunt"?

Yes, it's a very good program, written by ITALIANS (not Albanians).

Albanian is a beautiful language.

My chef friend was appalled when I told him I put onions in my spaghetti. Apparently there is a rule with garlic and onions - One or the other, but never both. Has anyone else heard of that? I always combine the two, but I guess that's cooking sacrilege!

I have never heard of that, R152.

Garlic <-- flavour

Onions <-- flavour, but more so, consistency when it comes to sauces.

R152, no you "chef friend' should shut his mouth. He knows shit

R154 I also heard Giada on the food network say that... I think.

Capers

R152, I've never heard of that either. Though personally, I generally don't put onion in my sauce. I make the Marcella Hazan version from time to time, but for the most part, I just use crushed San Marzano tomatoes, a good amount of olive oil, some crushed garlic and a pinch of red pepper flakes. No salt or black pepper - just because the red pepper flakes take the place of the black pepper, and the Romano cheese I'm gonna put on it is the saltiness.

Giada's marinara, with onion and garlic

I know it was a chef who specializes in Italian cuisine who also said it was either or when it came to garlic and onions in Italian food. Maybe it was that lady who confiscated the passports and stole the recipes of the Sicilian help she brought over to US to cook and clean and slave away for her and her family. Or maybe it was Martha - but I know I heard it from a secondary source on some cooking show at some point and was surprised they corroborated what my chef friend said.

Martha's marinara, with onion and garlic

Has anybody me had Michael’s of Brooklyn sauces?

They’re $10 a pop!

That's a large jar though. $10 is a good price.

I'll second the recommendation on Rao's! I bought 6 jars a few months ago on a friend's recommendation and have used 4 of them, and all 4 (Arrabbiata, Marinara, Bolognese and Tomato Basil) were better than any jar of Newman's Own or Trader Joe's. You won't need to add anything to it, just pour it on your pasta and maybe top with some fresh parmesan.

If you really want to dress up your sauce, get some ground beef and ground pork and mix them together (the pork works really well with tomato), cook, drain and add to the sauce. Or you can form them into meatballs.

One pan-Italian rule for cooking with garlic and onions is impossible. Italy is barely one country, but is an amalgamation of regions that have been under the control of a variety of cultures and governments for all of history. It was consolidated as an independent state in 1870 and won additional territory in the resolution of World War 1. There is no single rule in Italy for much of anything. Certainly not for something as personal as food preparation.

Within the regional cuisines, there are customs. And if you can read this post, you can Google advice on your own damned recipe.

[quote]Albanian is a beautiful language.

Unlike the country itself

R119, nope sorry. Has nothing to do with Food Network. I'm Chinese and a bit of sugar is almost always added to stir fry especially with tomatoes. Anything else?

No onions in tomato sauce! [R152] According to my Napolitana Italian grandmother, that's how the Poles and Irish in her Catholic neighborhood made their sauce because they didn't know any better. LOL Same for butter--red sauce is Southern, they use olive oil. Tuna? just, No! Pecorino Ramano grated to top has a much more interesting flavor being made from sheep's milk. No sugar--this isn't dessert! Do add fresh basil, some red pepper flakes, chopped garlic, and Whole Foods has some great organic chicken sausages with basil and sun dried tomato. I think I was channeling my grandmother--she was serious AF about her sauce. Good Luck OP!

[quote]I also heard Giada

The whore who mixes butter and olive oil?

She's just some skank who I'm assuming married rich and has the cooking show due to influence.

In La Cucina Italiana magazine, the tomato sauce they made for a ragu Neopolitan style had no onions. Just the tomato, meat (big cut of beef, not ground), basil, tomato paste double concentrate, salt and pepper, If I remember correctly.

You freaks who are against onions and garlic together as well as olive oil and butter have got to be Russian trolls.

And R170 fucks everything up by making everything about his American self and his stupid president that his stupid fellow Americans voted in. No one else cares. Your own fault, pussy bitch cunt.

r44 is having a reaction to his PrEP. He must be mixing it with GHB again.

........ Tuna bitches.

I initially read “Cocking” in the title.

How about puttanesca? Kalamata olives, capers, anchovies, shaved hard cheese, parsley.

OP, try this: Buy Italian sausages - hot or sweet, depending on your preference - and cook them in a mixture of water and red wine, just enough to come about halfway up the sausages. When they're done (about 20-25 minutes, turn once during cooking), remove and slice them. Heat some olive oil and briefly saute the slices, then add your bottled sauce. You can also add some red wine to the sauce. I like a thick sauce, so I add tomato paste (cue screams of outrage from purists) as well. Throw in some herbs if you want. Simmer it for a while. Serve over pasta. Ecco la cena.

Authentic is such a tired word, for Italian or any other food. It's what your mother or grandmother made. That's authentic.

Arrabiata vs puttanesca vs fra diavolo vs...?

Regardless of your ethnicity, r166, you need to taste things before deciding they need sugar. And tomatoes, if they have that much "natural sweetness," probably don't need an assist. I will sometimes put sugar in a tomato sauce, but only very, very rarely. As someone's grandmother suggests above, carrots work better to add sweetness.

I call this "doctoring". I am a very good cook, but sometimes use Prego spaghetti sauce and this is about what I do, since it always varies. Add: a handful or two of parmesan cheese, of pinch basil, or italian seasoning, red or white wine, pat of butter or a little olive oil, pinch of hot pepper, fresh ground black pepper. a few garlic cloves, Let it simmer a bit, taste it, and toss in anything that seemed to be lacking.

All of this above nattering will not make you a good cook. A real chef, or cook has an instinctual feel for food and never cooks with anything but general measurements except for baking, which I see as chemistry.

R180 = Peggy Hill

Why would anyone start with cheap ass Prego sauce? There's nothing to improve that shit. Upgrade to Rao's, unless it's denied on your EBT.

She calls this “doctoring!”

Why, how original!

That's what it's called, r183. This isn't cooking.

Christ Jesus, retard.

Everyone calls it “doctoring”, is the point. You hardly had to announce that you yourself call it doctoring.

Please just shut the fuck up.

Ohhhhhhkay, Cuntessa.

R180 is rage-inducing on every level.

You are blithely, blandly terrible.

If your post was satire, it would be up there, but as it is not...Do you find yourself getting slapped often and with great vigor? Do you state the obvious with great aplomb, and then wait for nods of recognition?

I pity all in your orbit.

To preface my post, I will say that I have not read the entire thread (lazy I know, but I really don't find the subject all that interesting). Bottled sauce to me is generally HELL but Trader Joe's "Trader Giotto's Traditional Marinara Sauce" is very edible and easy to "doctor up". If you have any cooking skills, saute some fresh garlic (either minced or sliced thin) and add some read pepper flakes and a glug of any wine that you can stand to drink. A bit of fresh basil (torn or julienned) added at the last minute pretty much tops it off. You can use this sauce for any pasta or baked pasta that you wish. Add the protein of your choice and it's even better and obviously choose Mozzarella, Fontina, Provolone and Parmigiano-Reggiano - any or even all - BUT the Parmigiano cheese is crucial so no matter what else you do, buy this one. Grana Padano is a less expensive option that works perfectly. Other than that, have fun!

Prego is owned by Campbell's soup. Do share some of your other tips. I'll bet you're a genius with cream of mushroom soup.

My appologies for not proof-reading LOL. "read" =red and "and obviously" = if you. Sorry for the hiccups.

Actually, r188, I noticed about a year ago that Grana Padano cost the same as Parmigiano-Reggiano, or close to it.

And appologies = apologies. Damn that Ambien..

R180 must absolutely be the willfully dim, yet verbose, Breakfast Sausage Lasagn”a” Troll.

R191- really? Very interesting. Well, in that case, I would go for the Reggiano for sure..

I agree with the poster who suggested puttanesca sauce, because it already has things in it to make it flavorsome.

However, I don't like most of the bottled puttanescas. The brand that works for me is Cucina Antica, which is hard to find. Some (but not all) Whole Foods outlets stock it. For instance, in NYC, the Columbus Circle one has it but my local, on East 57th Street, does not.

And I'll say to anyone who recommends salting everything, that's how you get high blood pressure. It happened to me.

People! It is an *instinctual* feel, donchaknow!

r194 I always have. I bought Grana Padano a couple of times years ago, and didn't find it worth much.

R197 - well you chose the better option by far. :-) There really is not comparison between the two cheeses if the price point is similar..

Gotcha, Boys, (180) here! I am prepping for my satire stand up act. Can't believe that almost 200 people are serious about canned/jarred tomato sauce.

Frau, just die already.

Great, now the thread smells like fish.

Skip the bottled sauce. I just use Cento whole peeled tomatoes, chopped garlic, fresh basil, red pepper flakes, a few anchovies (secret ingredient), finish with a pat of butter. Grated pecorino romano to top. That's how I've made it my whole life.

I pulse my Cento whole peeled tomatoes, but otherwise make marinara like r202. Anchovies (or paste) optional.

Pork neck bones.

Has anyone here tried putanesca sauce? I hear it is delightful when added to a cheap bottled sauce like Prego. Perks things right up. I got this tip from Peggy Hill.

Sigh.

It's decent for $1.69 R80.

Putans: this Slate article covers the puttanesca sauce mystique. (180) may have been one in years gone by.

https://slate.com/culture/2014/10/puttanesca-sauce-etymology-and-recipe-prostitutes-have-nothing-to-do-with-it.html

I hate to be a downer, but you never want to buy pre-chopped onions or garlic. The issue is that as they oxidize and then rather quickly (maybe after an hour or two) become very acrid. AKA - everything that is negative about onion or garlic flavors becomes 30 times worse for you. If they are gently cooked, this nasty flavor is stopped in its tracks for a few days or sometimes weeks (depending on the usage). I HIGHLY recommend cutting them both very close to their actual cook time. It's all about chemistry and you can't avoid this fact of science. Garlic is particularly nice if roasted lightly on a hot pan with NO OIL while left in its own skin (to steam)- no need to crucify it, but roast away for 20 to 30 minutes or so. This step will allow any recipe that requires garlic to last so much longer than normal in the fridge.

[quote]I hate to be a downer, but you never want to buy pre-chopped onions or garlic.

That's not being a downer. That's being a common senseologist.

After draining the past put it back in the saucepan and ad a good glug of olive oil, stir that in over the heat and then sprinkle bouliion powder over it, stir that in too so it is all coated, and then add the sauce, it will enrich the texture and the flavour.

Jesus, that tired old queen that has to Cuisinart everything. Rheumatoid arthritis must be a bitch.

"Cuisinart" is not a verb, R212!

It should be.

Has someone’s mother been called a whore yet?

Putana!

[quote]"Cuisinart" is not a verb, [R212]!

I 'cuise.'

R217, are you trying to tell us something? I believe the word you want is spelled "cooze."

No, numbnuts. Different pronunciations entirely.

The danger of not reading Data Lounge. You might end up in print making statements you will one day regret.

Here are Brits discussing adding sugar to your sauce.

I may have posted this here or elsewhere. Take any jar pasta sauce and cook it with sauteed fresh basil leaves. Add some fish sauce and a pinch of sugar if you like.