I must have spent about 50 years looking for that perfect sauce to accompany Spaghetti; my favourite pasta.
The only ingredients that are a MUST are good Olive Oil, Garlic, Chili flakes, freshly grated Parmesan, and possibly Capers. After that it's a minefield.
Really good fresh outdoor-sun-grown Tomatoes will usually make a good sauce, and a single filet of Anchovy can work wonders in a Tomato based sauce. Another favourite is finely sliced slithers of bacon with a splash of cream added to 'loosen'. The cream makes all the difference, but I avoid all pastas that are 'swimming' in sauce.
I have become extremely bored with heavy Tomato/Beef sauces; the type we usually refer to as 'Bolognese'. These days I much prefer subtlety, with as few ingredients as possible. Olio e Aglio is a good example of this; being the classic Italian student dish that can be made in a few seconds. Students are never wrong
If I was to have to choose a current favourite it would be a simplified combination of an Olio e Aglio and a slightly creamy Carbonara (without the egg); served with plenty of freshly grated Parmesan. It should look something like my illustration above, and not be overpowering.
Like food everywhere, Italian dishes depend very heavily on the quality of the ingredients. It is always worth splashing-out on ONE bottle of really good 'unrefined' Olive oil; the flavour changes everything. Otherwise one should always buy the best one can afford, and use it sparingly. I recently made an Olio e Aglio with a bog-standard Olive oil, and it was disastrous.
Of course pasta sauces are a matter of individual taste. Some love their Spaghetti swimming in buckets of heavy tomato, beef, and red wine sauces; others like their spaghetti tossed with just a few fresh clams. I don't think my search will ever end, but I feel as if I'm getting close to understanding what I really like, and what I don't. In all cases, for me a minimum of sauce is preferable.
Every time I make a new sauce, I never quite know if it'll 'be the one', but I live in hope. I'm getting there, but it's taken a very long time.
I think spaghetti is better with a light touch when it comes to sauce but other pasta shapes, such as penne, seem better with something a little "sloppy" , although not exactly "swimming". All very tasty anyway.
ReplyDeletePenne is my 'second favourite', and, as you say, it requires a very different approach. These days, every time I prepare Spaghetti it becomes an adventure.
DeleteI like spaghetti tossed in olive oil with lean bacon bits, courgette slices and plenty of parmesan but all who taste my bolognese sauce agree that it is indeed the best spaghetti sauce ever. Bolognese is without question the most popular spaghetti sauce in the world. There's no getting away from that Chef Magnon!
ReplyDeleteStrangely enough, people used to say much the same about my 'Bolognese'. Of course it should only ever be served with Tagliatelle; never with Spaghetti.
DeleteKind of like a dog who gets joy out of chasing cars, keep searching for perfection, the joy is in the search, the chase.
ReplyDeleteThe search is not over yet. When eventually I find that Holy Grail of sauces, I shall publish my findings in London, Paris, and Rome. It will be given to the world.
DeleteI am currently processing my harvest of tomatoes and garlic from the garden. My favourite sauce is made by roasting tomatoe , garlic, onion and red bell peppers tossed in some olive oil, with a dash of salt and cracked black pepper. I puree with an immersion blender and serve over penne. I make extra to freeze in containers for the winter. Barb
ReplyDeleteI do like the idea of roasting the vegs first, I imagine that intensifies the flavour a lot. Sounds delish!
DeleteSpaghetti is my favourite pasta as well Cro. I love the very simple Marcella Hazan's tomato sauce which is just a can of good tinned tomatoes { you can use fresh } , one large onion and three tablespoons of butter. Cut the onion in half, with the tomatoes butter and salt into a saucepan. Simmer really slowly for about 45 minutes, stirring now and again. You could add other ingredients after but its lovely on its own. Pasta is one of my favourite dishes and, I too, much prefer a very simple sauce and not too much of it. Another good one is just lemon, garlic and parmigiano { and don't forget to loosen any pasta sauce with a bit of the pasta water }. .... and, I did make the famous courgette one that Stanley Tucci made when he was in Italy with a chef but there was a lot of faffing about and it was just OK. My children always say that my bolognese is the best but they might be biased. XXXX
ReplyDeleteI don't think there's a cook in the world who doesn't think his/her Bolognese is the best in the world. Mine certainly is (not that I make it too often these days). I'm sure I've had the Lemon and garlic recipe; was it made with the grated rind of the lemon, plus some juice?
DeletePasta and sauce combinations are numerous. In the cold of winter I make a red sauce with garlic, onions and green peppers plus herbs. Then I add chunks of pork sausage and filet mignon. The pot simmers for hours on the stove at a low heat. For the summer months, I have a lighter combo of: pasta, garlic, oil, herbs and parm then topped with shrimp, scallops or crab. Crusty bread, salad and wine add to the meal.
ReplyDeleteYour 'red sauce' sounds like the perfect recipe for if one has a wood fired cooker on the go all day. It would all melt down to a glorious sauce.
DeleteThe olio e aglio sauce is popular here but even more popular is orphaned spaghetti. Plain with a little olive oil which has been heated till smoking and finely grated kefalotyri.... A Greek parmesan.
ReplyDeleteI don't eat pasta any more but when I did my favourite sauce came out of a jar from Lidls. A good tomatoey sauce with lots of herbs.
I was usually disappointed with sauces from jars; other than a really good green Pesto. I shall look-up 'orphaned spaghetti'; I love the sound of it.
DeleteI like it with just parmesan on it. I would give anything a try once though.
ReplyDeleteThat's what I call 'Minimal'. Maybe I should try it.
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