Moms Pasta Sauce Recipes

Steps:

• Cut celery and onion (and bell pepper if used) as fine as you prefer.
• If you like chunky style sauce make the pieces bigger, I like mine chopped fairly small.
• In a large skillet, heat 1-2 tblspn of oil, when oil is hot (not smoking) add celery and stirfry.
• As celery begins to clarify, add onion (and bell pepper, if used) and stirfry until it begins to glaze, add chopped garlic, stir for a short time (don't let anything begin to brown).
• If using meat, add ground beef or stew beef and brown, stirring regularly, adjust heat to make sure nothing burns.
• Salt and black pepper to taste.
• Transfer to a larger pot (if you have a good sized pot that you can brown in, you can just start with that instead of using the skillet.).
• Stir in tomato paste and cook until the color darkens.
• Stir in tomatos and tomato sauce.
• Add spices (Italian seasoning or individual spices) to taste.
• Add 3 Bay Leaves.
• Stir in mushrooms and/or black olives and crushed red pepper, if desired.
• Stir in 1-2 cans of water (I use the tomato paste, tomato and tomato paste cans to get the leavings out of them.).
• Adjust heat to simmer.
• Let cook for at least 1 hour, longer if you can, and stir regularly.
• Check spice to taste and add what you want.
• You can cook this for a little while or for a longer time.
• I prefer at least 2 hours to give all the spices a chance to blend well.
• But it can be cooked for as little as a half hour.
• If you want it to cook for a long time, monitor the thickness and add water as needed.
• Don't forget to remove the Bay Leaves before serving.
• Some people like to add a pinch of sugar to cut the acidity, but I believe that the Bay Leaves accomplish this and have never used sugar.
• When done, serve over or mix with the cooked pasta of your choice.
• Add grated parmissan if desired.
• Also individuals can add crushed red pepper to their own servings, for those who like it a little spicier.
• If making a baked dish such as Lasagna, Ziti, etc.
• you may want to make the sauce a little thinner (add water) to start with.

Steps:

• In a large skillet cook ground beef with the chopped onions, parsley, and olive oil. Cook until onions are soft and ground beef is cooked through.
• In a large saucepan, combine tomato juice, tomato sauce, Worcestershire sauce, salt, ground black pepper, and garlic. Add ground beef mixture and simmer for 1 hour.

Steps:

• Mix together whole tomatoes, tomato sauce, tomato paste, water, mushrooms, onions, garlic, sugar, salt and pepper, basil, and 1 pinch of baking soda in a large saucepan. Bring to a boil, stirring. Reduce to a simmer, and cook for 4 hours minimum.
• Stir in another pinch of baking soda; the sauce will foam. Simmer, stirring occasionally, until thick and almost brown. Make sure to scrape the sides of the pan in to the sauce.
• After the sauce is fork consistency, stir in Parmesan cheese. Watch that the cheese does not burn. Taste sauce. If it is too tangy or acidic, add another pinch of baking soda and simmer another 1/2 hour.
• Cool, cover, and refrigerate overnight. The next day, reheat and serve.

Steps:

• In a 6-quart, or larger, saucepan or casserole, cook the onion in the oil, stirring occasionally, for 5 minutes.
• In a blender or food processor, puree tomatoes and sauce. Add tomato mixture to pan along with water, tomato paste, garlic, carrots, potato, 3 tablespoons of basil, 3 tablespoons of parsley, salt and cayenne to taste. Bring to a boil, reduce to a simmer and, stirring occasionally, cook, partly covered, for 30 minutes.
• In a small bowl, soak the bread crumbs in the milk until softened.
• In a large bowl, combine bread-crumb mixture with meat, egg, Parmesan, remaining 2 tablespoons basil and parsley, salt, cayenne and 1/2 cup of sauce. Gradually shred and add meat mix to sauce, a little at a time. Partly cover, and bring sauce to a simmer, stirring occasionally, for 1 hour. Before serving, remove garlic cloves, carrots and potato.
• Use about 2 cups of sauce for each pound of pasta.