Recipe :: Real Italian Red Sauce, the Easy Way

Real Italian Red Sauce, the Easy Way

My Sicilian grandmother, Nonna, was always in the kitchen. Most of my memories of her house are of her in the kitchen. Making food, feeding us, and gathering us for meals is what she lived for. I come by it honestly, but I am a major snob when it comes to “red sauce,” which is what the rest of the world calls spaghetti sauce. In fact, if it’s too red, I’m not interested. Spaghetti sauce, when cooked correctly, should be a deep brick red to almost brown color.

My Nonna was one of my favorite people on the planet. On the anniversary of her birthday (she would have been 97 years old this year), I wanted to share my combination recipe of the “easy way” to make real Southern Italian spaghetti sauce with the way she would have cooked it. (There is no written recipe.) It’s a quicker version but it’s much closer to the right way. I usually get compliments from adults, and the kids finish their plates and ask for more (don’t forget the parmesan cheese!).

Ingredients:

• 1.5 lb ground meat
• minced garlic
• Italian seasoning
• olive oil
• salt and pepper
• brown sugar
• 1 onion
• 1 bell pepper
• 1 6oz tomato paste
• 2 15oz tomato sauce
• 2 15 oz diced tomatoes
• parmesan cheese for topping
• spaghetti noodles or any pasta of your choosing (we love angel hair)

Directions:

1. Start with a large pot and heat 2 tbsp olive oil on medium heat. Drop in tomato paste and let it simmer until it starts to brown. This brings out the flavors and darkens the sauce. This usually takes 4-5 minutes.
2. Dice onion and bell pepper small enough that the kids might not notice. (Some people even add in finely diced carrots to add more veg to the meal). Drizzle in another 1-2 tbsp olive oil on top the paste and then drop in your veggies, stirring well. Let this simmer for another 5 minutes until softened.
3. Drop in ground meat right on top of everything. Add 2-3 tbsp garlic (depending on garlic preference … bad breath welcome here), about 20 shakes of Italian seasoning, 1 tsp pepper and 1 tsp salt (you may need to taste and add more later). Stir it all together.
4. Brown the ground meat in the pot until it’s no longer raw. Then pour in tomato sauce and diced tomatoes.
5. Then you let it simmer. Giving it a good hour will yield the best sauce. Two hours is even better. (Stir occasionally.) This is where we say it’s “cooked down” as in, “Oh, I tried the new Italian restaurant in town.” “Really? Is the sauce cooked down?” (No bright reds please!)
6. Do a taste test about 30 minutes in and see if a dash more salt and pepper could help. Maybe even a few more sprinkles of Italian seasoning. I love to add a few fresh basil leaves if I have them on hand.
7. After your color has arrived at its optimal darkness (or you’ve run out of time), add 1 heaping tbsp of brown sugar, dark or light is fine. This cuts the acidity and adds a tad more darkness to the pot. Mix well, and simmer another 10 minutes or so.
8. Boil spaghetti noodles or pasta as instructed. Don’t forget to salt the water and add a splash of olive oil to avoid sticking. Drain your pasta, and you’re ready to serve!
9. Parmesan cheese can be sprinkled on top. The ready-made parmesan in the canister is just fine, but we also love the upgraded shaved parmesan too!

“Pasta warms your cockles (heart).” That’s what Nonna would say. I miss her so much, and I know she would love to see just how much my kids adore spaghetti!

As an added note, Nonna always cooked spaghetti in Magnalite pots, so I’ve been collecting them over time. To me, it’s the only way, but any pot should do.