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Homemade Spaghetti Sauce

My garden has been pumping out roma tomatoes this year and I decided to make a pasta sauce. I've never done this before but have to say that it turned out better than any store bought sauce I've had! It freezes well so I'm making a 2nd batch today. I used around 33 tomatoes and basically cut the recipe in half. I also added some of my own crushed red peppers that I dehydrate for a little added heat. Recipe can be found here: https://www.tasteofhome.com/recipes/homemade-meatless-spaghetti-sauce/#.W1uc6YeYKvE.email




Here is the first batch plated with some spaghetti and meatballs :grin:

Large - Mini - Blackstone 17", 28", 36"
Cumming, GA  

Comments

  • Botch
    Botch Posts: 17,368
    Pretty close to my meatless recipe, except for the brown sugar (????!).  I also add fennel, it reminds me of Ital sausage without any sausage.  
    One of my favorite dishes, ever!  

    “All you need in this life is ignorance and confidence, and then success is sure.”

                  - Mark Twain 

    Ogden, UT, USA


  • fence0407
    fence0407 Posts: 2,244
    Botch said:
    Pretty close to my meatless recipe, except for the brown sugar (????!).  I also add fennel, it reminds me of Ital sausage without any sausage.  
    One of my favorite dishes, ever!  
    I was a little surprised at the brown sugar but it tastes great! My 2nd batch I used Italian seasoning instead of the dry ingredients. I'll have to try fennel next time that sounds good.
    Large - Mini - Blackstone 17", 28", 36"
    Cumming, GA  

  • bgebrent
    bgebrent Posts: 19,636
    That looks great brother.  With those garden maters.  Yum. 
    Sandy Springs & Dawsonville Ga
  • gdenby
    gdenby Posts: 6,239
    Looks great.

    If you want to get really fussy, scald the 'maters, and then peel them. That can be a real mess. The final product comes out nice and smooth.

    You can also toss in regular sandwich tomatoes, also skinned, and just simmer longer. By the time the extra liquid cooks off, the sauce will already have paste formed at the bottom and edges of the pot.
  • Botch
    Botch Posts: 17,368
    edited August 2018
    gdenby said:
    f you want to get really fussy, scald the 'maters, and then peel them. That can be a real mess. The final product comes out nice and smooth.
    Has anyone here used a food mill to crush/skin tomatoes?  If that works well, I'd buy one in a heartbeat (I've gone the scald/hand-peel route once before, never again).  Currently, with fresh tomatoes, I just throw them in the blender; I'd rather have a smooth sauce than bits of skin, but that's me.  
     

     

    “All you need in this life is ignorance and confidence, and then success is sure.”

                  - Mark Twain 

    Ogden, UT, USA


  • RedSkip
    RedSkip Posts: 1,400
    Anyone care to share a red sauce recipe?  This is one I’ve never attempted.

    looks fantastic!
    Large BGE - McDonald, PA
  • fence0407
    fence0407 Posts: 2,244
    RedSkip said:
    Anyone care to share a red sauce recipe?  This is one I’ve never attempted.

    looks fantastic!
    Thanks! I put the link to the recipe I used in my original post. Not sure if that's what you are looking for. 
    Large - Mini - Blackstone 17", 28", 36"
    Cumming, GA  

  • fence0407
    fence0407 Posts: 2,244
    gdenby said:
    Looks great.

    If you want to get really fussy, scald the 'maters, and then peel them. That can be a real mess. The final product comes out nice and smooth.

    You can also toss in regular sandwich tomatoes, also skinned, and just simmer longer. By the time the extra liquid cooks off, the sauce will already have paste formed at the bottom and edges of the pot.
    Appreciate that! I might have to give that a shot next. Still got tomatoes in the garden!
    Large - Mini - Blackstone 17", 28", 36"
    Cumming, GA  

  • fence0407
    fence0407 Posts: 2,244
    Botch said:
    gdenby said:
    f you want to get really fussy, scald the 'maters, and then peel them. That can be a real mess. The final product comes out nice and smooth.
    Has anyone here used a food mill to crush/skin tomatoes?  If that works well, I'd buy one in a heartbeat (I've gone the scald/hand-peel route once before, never again).  Currently, with fresh tomatoes, I just throw them in the blender; I'd rather have a smooth sauce than bits of skin, but that's me.  
     

     

    I have not but I just boiled them, threw in ice water then peeled and cubed them. Kinda messy but putting the cutting board in a sheet pan with sides makes for an easy cleanup.
    Large - Mini - Blackstone 17", 28", 36"
    Cumming, GA  

  • Carolina Q
    Carolina Q Posts: 14,831
    edited August 2018
    @Botch

    Do it! (I bought an OXO). Best mashed potatoes ever! No peeling, just boil and run 'em through the mill. Same with tomatoes. Gets rid of skin and seeds!
    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kWnhKJBV0UU

    As for the OP, that sauce looks great, especially the last shot!!

    If you want to try another, give Lidia Bastianich's much simpler marinara a try. Fewer ingredients, much faster cook (only 15 minutes). I use it on pasta, meatballs and sometimes as a pizza sauce. Never disappoints.

    I first saw it here: https://www.seriouseats.com/recipes/2007/03/lidias-marinara-sauce.html and it was shown that way in Lidia's website too. This is the only way I've ever done it.

    Then, Lidia slightly changed the recipe on her site. I haven't tried it, but it doesn't look like the differences would be noticeable. https://lidiasitaly.com/recipes/marinara-sauce/

    I hate it when I go to the kitchen for food and all I find are ingredients!                                                                                                                                                                                                                           

    Michael 
    Central Connecticut 

  • fence0407
    fence0407 Posts: 2,244
    Thanks @Carolina Q! I will give that other recipe a shot. This one took 3 hours to make, although I bet I could do it in the instapot much shorter.
    Large - Mini - Blackstone 17", 28", 36"
    Cumming, GA  

  • Carolina Q
    Carolina Q Posts: 14,831
    fence0407 said:
    Thanks @Carolina Q! I will give that other recipe a shot. This one took 3 hours to make, although I bet I could do it in the instapot much shorter.
    Different sauces, but still good. Yours looks quite thick, Lidia's is much thinner. Good though. Try a small batch with a can of plum tomatoes.

    I hate it when I go to the kitchen for food and all I find are ingredients!                                                                                                                                                                                                                           

    Michael 
    Central Connecticut 

  • fence0407
    fence0407 Posts: 2,244
    fence0407 said:
    Thanks @Carolina Q! I will give that other recipe a shot. This one took 3 hours to make, although I bet I could do it in the instapot much shorter.
    Different sauces, but still good. Yours looks quite thick, Lidia's is much thinner. Good though. Try a small batch with a can of plum tomatoes.
    Will do. It's thick for sure. I feel like the thinner sauce would be nice to have though. 
    Large - Mini - Blackstone 17", 28", 36"
    Cumming, GA  

  • RedSkip
    RedSkip Posts: 1,400
    @fence0407 Sorry I overlooked the link, thanks!
    Large BGE - McDonald, PA
  • fence0407
    fence0407 Posts: 2,244
    RedSkip said:
    @fence0407 Sorry I overlooked the link, thanks!
    All good! @Carolina Q just gave a link to a thinner sauce that looks delicious. Check them both out. One thing I'm looking forward to is adjusting the next batch to my liking. Get a base for what you like and adjust from there.
    Large - Mini - Blackstone 17", 28", 36"
    Cumming, GA  

  • Theophan
    Theophan Posts: 2,656
    Botch said:
    Has anyone here used a food mill to crush/skin tomatoes? ... 
    I started to cook long before food processors, and I used to use a food mill all the time.  I'm pretty sure it was a Moulinex, from France.  It was great.  Kept the skins and seeds out, but got everything else through.

    It also gave food a better texture (for my taste, anyway) than a blender.  Back in the '70s, I think it was, I used to make Vichyssoise (a cold leek and potato cream soup), and loved it, always used the food mill.  But then one time I thought it'd be easier to put it in the blender, and HATED it!  The texture was so smooth it seemed artificial, like liquid plastic or something.  The texture from the food mill was smooth, but not super smooth, and it was just better.

    I don't do much with the food mill (I have a stainless one, now), anymore, not sure why.  Just don't make things that need it, I guess.  I haven't made a tomato sauce in many years, or a soup that'd need it.
  • TN_Egger
    TN_Egger Posts: 1,120
    Got any extra tomatoes?  I know a guy...
    Signal Mountain, TN
  • fence0407
    fence0407 Posts: 2,244
    TN_Egger said:
    Got any extra tomatoes?  I know a guy...
    I may have given away a number of ripe tomatoes to friends and neighbors this season. Plenty left!
    Large - Mini - Blackstone 17", 28", 36"
    Cumming, GA  

  • Botch
    Botch Posts: 17,368
    Theophan said:
    I started to cook long before food processors, and I used to use a food mill all the time.  I'm pretty sure it was a Moulinex, from France.  It was great.  Kept the skins and seeds out, but got everything else through.

    It also gave food a better texture (for my taste, anyway) than a blender.  Back in the '70s, I think it was, I used to make Vichyssoise (a cold leek and potato cream soup), and loved it, always used the food mill.  But then one time I thought it'd be easier to put it in the blender, and HATED it!  The texture was so smooth it seemed artificial, like liquid plastic or something.  The texture from the food mill was smooth, but not super smooth, and it was just better.

    I don't do much with the food mill (I have a stainless one, now), anymore, not sure why.  Just don't make things that need it, I guess.  I haven't made a tomato sauce in many years, or a soup that'd need it.
    Thanks, @Theophan!  You may have spent some more of my money.   ;)

    “All you need in this life is ignorance and confidence, and then success is sure.”

                  - Mark Twain 

    Ogden, UT, USA


  • Eoin
    Eoin Posts: 4,304
    I always peel the toms before making the sauce, and remove any hard cores. Lot's of mediterranean recipes also call for de-seeding, so only the flesh is used, but I don't go that far. 

    For a few toms, pour boiling water over in a sieve. For larger quantities, dip them in a pan of boiling water. Either way, it's a messy business!
  • GrillSgt
    GrillSgt Posts: 2,507
    Mill is the way to go. For every 3-4 turns, turn backwards for 1 turn. 
  • Roma tomatoes are a Mexican cook’s delight.  Google Patti Jinich or Mexico in my kitchen. 
    Large, small and mini now Egging in Rowlett Tx
  • blasting
    blasting Posts: 6,262

    @Botch

    I don't have a mill, but I wonder if a ricer would work?  I don't peel potatos for mashed anymore - just rice them and it collects the skins.  Maybe it would work for tomatos...

    Phoenix