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tomato sauces from canned tomatoes

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three tomato sauces from canned tomatoes

When fresh tomatoes are not available, there is the superb alternative of imported Italian canned plum tomatoes, peeled, and sometimes peeled and diced. The San Marzano brand is one. There are some devotees who believe that if only the very best fresh tomatoes are not available, the imported canned tomatoes make consistently the best sauce.

marinara

this truly basic tomato sauce, sometimes known as "quick", is popular because it is made in a quick and simple manner, and uses few ingredients. And tastes great.

for the sauce:

one-third cup olive oil
3 large cloves of garlic, peeled and chopped
one 28-ounce can of peeled, imported Italian plum tomatoes. Drained and roughly chopped
4 tablespoons chopped basil (or parsley)
salt and freshly ground pepper

Put the oil in a medium-sized sauté pan, over medium heat. Add the garlic. When it starts to sizzle, add the tomatoes, plus salt and pepper. Bring to a boil, breaking up the tomatoes with a wooden spoon. Turn down heat. Add the basil or parsley. Add salt and pepper. Simmer, continuing to stir, for about 25 minutes more.

arrabiata

Slightly stronger, with red pepper flakes. Arrabiata is Italian for "angry". An option includes pancetta.

for the sauce

two cloves of garlic, peeled and chopped
four tablespoons olive oil
1/2 to 3/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes
one 28-ounce can imported Italian tomatoes, peeled
two tablespoons of coarsely chopped parsley
salt and pepper

Roughly chop the tomatoes. Put the oil and the garlic in a sauté pan: cook over a medium heat, until the garlic begins to sizzle. Add the chopped tomatoes and their juices to the pan. Cook at a medium simmer for twenty minutes, stirring regularly with a wooden spoon. Add salt and pepper.

Put the sauce through a food mill, returning it to the sauté pan. Add the red pepper flakes, and simmer for 15 more minutes. Coarsely chop the parsley and put it in the sauce just before taking off the heat. Taste for salt.

option: put 2 ounces of pancetta, roughly chopped and diced, into the sauté pan when the garlic begins to sizzle and before adding the tomatoes. Cook for two minutes. Then add the tomatoes and go on from there.

another option: use basil instead of parsley.

old-fashioned simmered tomato sauce

A rich tomato sauce with complex flavors. Simmer for 20-30 minutes, or as long as one needs to get the texture you want and retain all the flavors.

for the sauce:

one 28-ounce can whole imported Italian plum tomatoes, peeled, roughly chopped, and in their juice.
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 tablespoons butter
two garlic cloves, peeled and finely chopped
1/3 cup finely diced sweet onion
1/3 cup finely diced celery
1/3 cup finely diced carrots
1 tablespoon chopped thyme leaves
2 tablespoons chopped Italian parsley
2 tablespoons chopped basil
salt and pepper

Heat the oil and the butter in a sauté pan over medium heat. Add the garlic, and cook until it just starts to sizzle. Add the onion and cook for two minutes. Add the celery and carrots and cook for 6 more minutes. Add the herbs and cook for 2 minutes.

Add the chopped tomatoes and their juice, the salt and some freshly ground pepper, and do a lively simmer, uncovered, for 15-20 minutes, until the sauce just starts to thicken.

Check the salt and pepper, and serve.