ok foodies. any tricks to dressing up jar spagetti sauce?

[vash]

living in earthquake-ville, we have a huge pile of beans, rice, and pasta. part of our rations include jarred spagetti sauce. every once in awhile we rotate the old stock out, and we eat it. i admit, it doesnt suck, but it is lacking. any tricks?

[azasadny]

Cliff,
Add fresh herbs (oregano, Italian parsley, basil, etc...). Chop up some fresh garlic in it, too!

[BeyGon]

cook some Italian sausage and put it in while you are heating up the sauce.

[Zeke]

And some fresh mushrooms. Maybe a spot of red wine.

[trekkor]

Fresh large cut garlic and onion, parsley, mushrooms, chopped black olives, Italian sausage, red wine and, the secret ingredient that will boost you to 'Kitchen Hero' staus...

Pan seared and crushed fennel seed.

Top with grated Asiago cheese.

The canned sauce will become a vehicle for your efforts.

Go get 'em!


KT

[red-beard]

Originally Posted by vash

living in earthquake-ville, we have a huge pile of beans, rice, and pasta. part of our rations include jarred spagetti sauce. every once in awhile we rotate the old stock out, and we eat it. i admit, it doesnt suck, but it is lacking. any tricks?

#1. Buy the right Sauce. Ragu Garden Style extra garlic, onions and tomatos.
#2. Cook the sausage externally and prick the skin, to let the oil out
#3. Add Parmesean Cheese.

[legion]

All of the above is good.

This is what I've done while camping (and without access to fresh herbs, sausage, or mushrooms):

Salt, pepper, and oregano. It tends to tone down the sweetness of store-bought sauces. You have to be careful though, and add only what is needed.

[cgarr]

shrooms? well yes!

[Oh Haha]

Originally Posted by BeyGon

cook some Italian sausage and put it in while you are heating up the sauce.

Just did this last week. I used turkey burger in the mix as well. I like a meaty pasta sauce. I despise runny/thin sauce. It's just not good for dipping your garlic toast.


I also add cinnamon sugar to cut down on heartburn.

One tip I picked up is to NOT rinse the pasta so the sauce sticks to it.

[Oh Haha]

Originally Posted by red-beard

#1. Buy the right Sauce. Ragu Garden Style extra garlic, onions and tomatos.
#2. Cook the sausage externally and prick the skin, to let the oil out
#3. Add Parmesean Cheese.

Do you add the parmesean to the sauce while cooking or when plating?

[javadog]

Originally Posted by Oh Haha

Do you add the parmesean to the sauce while cooking or when plating?

When plating. Use the real deal, parmigiano reggiano, not the crap in the green can.

JR

[javadog]

Originally Posted by Oh Haha

One tip I picked up is to NOT rinse the pasta so the sauce sticks to it.

Actually, you should drain the pasta, then add it to the sauce in the pan and mix it well, cooking it together for a half minute, or so. You don't pile the pasta on a plate and pour the sauce over the top of it.

JR

[trekkor]

I like to drizzle a little olive oil over the drained pasta and toss.

Red pepper flake on top of the cheese is another big hit.


KT

[Oh Haha]

Originally Posted by javadog

. You don't pile the pasta on a plate and pour the sauce over the top of it.

JR

That's exactly how I do it. I'll try mixing it together next time, though. Thanks for the tip.
In fact, I think we'll be having spaghetti for dinner tomorrow night.

[javadog]

Originally Posted by vash

...jarred spagetti sauce. I admit, it doesnt suck, but it is lacking. any tricks?

If it is a basic tomato sauce, lacking meat, olives or strong flavorings such as basil, you can use it as you would any basic tomato sauce and it becomes just another ingredient. You could make another, more complex sauce with it, such as a Puttanesca sauce (add garlic, olives, capers, anchovies, crushed red pepper, etc.) Or, you could use it in something altogether different, where the sauce isn't the main ingredient. You could saute some olives in oil and finish them with the sauce. Or, you could make meatballs and dress them with the sauce. The possibilies are nearly endless; any recipe that called for crushed tomatoes might work with a tomato sauce.

JR

[javadog]

Originally Posted by Oh Haha

That's exactly how I do it. I'll try mixing it together next time, though. Thanks for the tip.
In fact, I think we'll be having spaghetti for dinner tomorrow night.

You might try using less sauce. Americans tend to dress a pasta with about twice as much sauce as Italians use. The pasta is supposed to be the star of the show; the sauce is just a condiment.

The first time you try pappardelle with porcinis, or with a wild boar ragu, you'll understand the Italians...

JR

[red-beard]

Originally Posted by Oh Haha

Do you add the parmesean to the sauce while cooking or when plating?

When cooking. You want it to melt into the sauce to improve the flavor. 1/4-1/2 cup to a full jar. You might start with 1/4 and then add some more at the table.

Also, the Romano/Parmesan mix is VERY good for this.

Do not buy the imitation stuff.

[Shaun @ Tru6]

brown some country style spare ribs and add them and simmer under low heat for an hour+, use a heavy bottom pot and stir every 5-10 minute. crockpot works well too.

to echo JR, we (Italian side of the family) always lightly tossed the pasta (homemade) in sauce just to coat. extra sauce was for meatballs and sausage and bread. I don't think my great grandmother ever bought pasta from the store. good times.

[javadog]

Originally Posted by red-beard

When cooking. You want it to melt into the sauce to improve the flavor.

Here's a better explanation than I gave previously. If you add the cheese (or anything else that is used as a minor flavoring agent... crushed red pepper, basil, etc.) when cooking the sauce, the flavor will be evenly disributed through the sauce - every bite will taste exactly the same. The flavor of whatever you add will be more muted.

If you add the cheese (or whatever) at the end, you'll end up with a fresher taste, where the individual ingredients stand out and every bite is a little different. There will still be enough residual heat to melt the cheese, although some pasta dishes don't call for the cheese to be melted, as it acts like a textural element that way.

Another trick is to add a little of whatever herb, cheese, spice, etc. during the cooking, and add an additional amount at the end. You can also drizzle a little olive oil (only if it's good quality, though) on the pasta, at the end.

JR

[johnco]

it's all in there but the meatballs