Pasta sauces - Lucretia B's Cookbook

With tomato:

A humble pasta sauce
Amatriciana
Apple and onion sauce
Arrabbiata
Bay sauce
Mild tomato sauce
Working Girls' sauce (Puttanesca)
Italian sausage sauce
Tuna fish sauce

Without tomato:

Pasta alla norcina: Italian sausage and walnut sauce
Moonlight elbows
Earth shells
Norwegian sauce
Pesto sauce
Fruit &Spice sauce
Eggplant Mousse
Saffron sauce
3 Cheeses sauce
Carbonara sauce
Mushroom sauce
California sauce
Lemon sauce

A humble pasta sauce

Thanks: Tagt the Spellcaster [ tagt --at-- gmx.net ]

Ingredients: (serves 4); 1x400g tin white beans; 1x400g tin peeled tomatoes; 400 g Italian sausage; 1/2 cup cream (optional); oil; 1 onion, chopped; 1 to 10 hot chili peppers; salt
Method: This easy and quick recipe was designed to use up some tinned white beans before leaving for our holidays.
Remove the skin and break the sausage into small chunks. Place the onion with some oil in a frying pan over medium heat and saute until just golden. Turn on the heat, add the sausage chunks and cook until the onion is golden brown and the sausage just scorched. Drain the white beans and add them to the pan.
Add the cream (this is optional: it's meant to reduce the tang of tomatoes and thicken the sauce, but it also adds a lot of calories and cholesterol) and simmer for a couple of minutes. Add the peeled tomatoes, reduce the heat, and add the red chili peppers to taste. I use ten, but you can bet the result is *really* hot! You might try with just one and, next time you cook the same sauce, add a few more if you like it hotter.
In the meantime, cook and drain the pasta shapes of your choice; I use mezze penne, but maccheroni, elbows, shells and orecchiette are just as good. Drain the pasta a couple of minutes before it's ready (which means it still has to "crack" a little bit when tasted) and save 1 cup of the water. Pour this water into the frying pan with the sauce, then add the drained pasta and cook for a couple of minutes, stirring well. Taste for salt and serve with grated romano cheese (or baked ricotta, if you can find some).

Amatriciana

Lucretia B

Ingredients: (serves 4); 2 tb extra virgin olive oil; 1 onion, finely shredded; 2 garlic cloves; 1 cup diced bacon; 2 tb white wine (optional); 4 cups diced or peeled tomatoes, chopped; pinch of salt; pinch of oreganon (optional); pinch of black pepper
Method: Place oil, onion, garlic, and bacon (and the optional white wine) in a saucepan. Cover and simmer on low heat until the onion is very tender (it takes about 60 minutes if you're using wine, or 45 minutes if no wine is added). Add tomatoes, salt and oreganon. Simmer for another half hour. Then remove the pan from the heat and add pepper.

Apple and onion sauce

Thanks: Guido Tadiello, Italy [ Always In Our Hearts ]

Ingredients: (serves 4); 4 tb extra virgin olive oil; 2 medium onions, finely shredded; 2 small apples, finely chopped or sliced; 1 bay leaf; 4 cups diced or peeled tomatoes; pinch of salt; pinch of black pepper
Method: Place oil, onion, apple and bay leaf in a saucepan. Cover and simmer on low heat until apple and onion are dissolved (it takes 45 to 60 minutes). Add tomatoes and salt, and simmer for another half hour. Add pepper after removing the pan from the heat.

Arrabbiata

Lucretia B

Ingredients: (serves 4); 4 tb extra virgin olive oil; 4 garlic cloves; 2 red hot peppers, or pinch of ground red hot pepper; 4 cups diced or peeled tomatoes; pinch of salt; pinch of oreganon; pinch of black pepper
Method: Place oil, garlic, and red pepper (if you're using the vegetable) in a saucepan. Simmer until garlic is light brown (it takes only a few minutes) and then, if you wish the sauce to be milder, remove the red pepper. Add tomatoes, salt and oreganon, and simmer for another half hour. Then remove the pan from the heat and add pepper. If you chose to use ground red hot pepper, add it now.

Bay sauce

Lucretia B

Ingredients: (serves 4); 2 tb extra virgin olive oil; 4 onions, finely shredded; 4 bay leaves; 2 tb white wine (optional); 4 cups diced or peeled tomatoes, chopped; pinch of salt; pinch of black pepper
Method: Place oil, onion, and bay leaves, with 2 tb cold water or the white wine, in a saucepan. Cover and simmer on low heat until onion are dissolved (it takes 45 to 60 minutes). Add tomatoes and salt. Simmer for another half hour. Remove bay leaves and add pepper after removing the pan from the heat.

Mild tomato sauce

Thanks: Alba Belloni, Italy

Ingredients: (serves 4); 4 tb extra virgin olive oil; 1 onion, chopped; 1 garlic clove; 1 handful fresh basil leaves; 4 cups diced or peeled tomatoes, chopped; pinch of salt
Method: Place oil, onion and garlic in a saucepen. Saute over medium heat until the onion is lightly browned (10 minutes approx). Add tomatoes, salt and basil. Cover with lid and simmer on very low heat for 1 hour to 1 1/2 hours.

Working Girls' sauce (spaghetti puttanesca)

Thanks: John Dowie, Ireland

Ingredients: (serves 4); 4 tb extra virgin olive oil; 4 garlic cloves; 1 red hot pepper, or pinch of ground red hot pepper; 2 anchovy fillets (optional); 2 tb capers; 4 cups diced or peeled tomatoes; pinch of oreganon; 24 small black olives, or 12 large (pitted and sliced); 12 green olives (pitted and sliced); pinch of black pepper
Method: Place oil, garlic, and red pepper (if you're using the vegetable) in a saucepan. Simmer until garlic is light brown (it takes only a few minutes) and then, if you wish the sauce to be milder, remove the red pepper. Add anchovies, capers, tomatoes and oreganon, and simmer for another half hour. A few minutes before removing the pan, add the olives. Add black pepper after removing the pan from the heat. If you chose to use the ground red hot pepper, also add this now.

Italian sausage sauce

Lucretia B

Ingredients: (serves 4); 2 tb extra virgin olive oil; 1 small onion, chopped; 1 small carrot, chopped; 1 celery stalk, chopped; 8 ounces Italian sausage (hot or mild), cut in 1-inch pieces; 4 cups diced or peeled tomatoes; pinch of thyme (or Italian herbs); pinch of salt; pinch of black pepper (optional)
Method: Heat oil in a saucepan. Add onion, carrot and celery. Saute until carrot and celery are tender. Add sausage, saute for another few minutes. Add tomatoes, herbs and salt. Cover with lid and simmer on low heat for 45 to 60 minutes. Add pepper just before serving.

Tuna fish sauce

Lucretia B

Ingredients: (serves 4); 2 tb extra virgin olive oil; 1 medium onion, finely shredded; 1 clove garlic; 1 tb white wine (optional); 1 bay leaf; 4 cups diced or peeled tomatoes, chopped; pinch of salt; 1 small can of tuna fish; 1 ts anchovy paste (optional); pinch of black pepper
Method: Place oil, onion, garlic and bay leaf in a saucepan. Add 2 tb cold water (or 1 tb cold water and 1 tb white wine). Cover and simmer on low heat until onion is dissolved (it takes 30 to 40 minutes). Add tomatoes and salt, and simmer for another half hour. Add tuna fish and anchovy paste and simmer for 15 to 30 minutes. Add pepper after removing the pan from the heat.

Pasta alla norcina: sausage and walnut sauce

Thanks: Tagt the Spellcaster [ tagt --at-- gmx.net ]

Ingredients: (serves 4); 400 g Italian sausage; 12 walnuts, shelled and halved; 200 g cream; oil; 1 onion, chopped; salt; pepper
Method: Saute the onion with some oil. Remove the skin and break the sausage into 2cm chunks. Add the sausage to the onion and cook until scorched. Add the cream and simmer for 15 minutes approx.
Add the walnuts and remove from heat after just one more minute.
This sauce is best served with small pasta shapes, such as maccheroni.

Moonlight elbows

Thanks: Emma Verga, Italy

Ingredients: (serves 4); 500 g elbows (or other short pasta shapes such as shells); 1 tb rock salt; 1 can (425 g) tuna fish in olive oil; 2 cups thickened cream; nutmeg; 1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese; salt to taste
Method: Bring to the boil 4 litres of water in a large saucepan. Add rock salt and pasta, stir and cook until pasta is al dente.
In the meantime, prepare the sauce: in a small saucepan heat the tuna fish with its oil, stirring occasionally to prevent burning. When the tuna has turned a darker pink colour, add the cream and stir well. Add salt and nutmeg to taste and cook until pasta is ready, stirring continuously.
When the pasta is cooked, drain in a colander in the sink, put back in saucepan, add sauce and return to heat. Add mozzarella cheese at once and stir until well combined. Serve immediately.

Earth shells

Thanks: Ataturk Pasha, Turkey [ Always In Our Hearts ]

Ingredients: (serves 4); 2 lbs zucchini, finely sliced; 1 1/2 lbs Italian sausage, peeled; 1 1/2 lbs ricotta; 1/2 cup fresh cream; 1 onion; 1/2 cup dry white wine; 4 tbs extra-virgin olive oil; salt, pepper; 1.1 lbs pasta shells
Method: Finely shred the onion and saute in oil. Add zucchini, sausage meat and white wine. Cover with lid and simmer for 30 minutes. In the meantime, combine ricotta with cream and pepper, and cook the pasta shells.
Five minutes before the shells are done, combine the ricotta cream with zucchini and sausage and cook just until hot. Drain the shells, add to the sauce and mix well.
Best served with a young red wine.

Norwegian sauce

Thanks: Liv-Dagny Breines, Norway [ Liv-Dagny.Breines --at-- keo.kvaerner.com ]

Ingredients: (serves 4); 4 shallots, chopped; 2 tb (light olive) oil; 1/2 to 1 cup green peas; 1 cup double cream; paprika or cayenne pepper; 4 oz smoked salmon, diced or shredded
Method: Gently fry chopped shallots in a little oil. Add peas (sometimes I use avocado instead of peas), pour in the double cream and simmer until peas are tender. Add pepper or paprika to taste.
Just before it's ready to serve, add smoked salmon. Pour the sauce over cooked pasta and serve hot.
Be careful not to add any salt to the sauce, as the smoked salmon is salty enough. Also, make sure to cook the salmon just as long as it gets warm, or the salt will draw out of the salmon and make the sauce unbearably salty.

Pesto sauce

Thanks: Alessia Sartirana, Italy

Ingredients: (serves 12); 8 handfuls fresh basil leaves, washed and patted dry; 3/4 cup extra virgin olive oil; 4 to 12 garlic cloves, according to tastes; 3 tb pine nuts; salt; pepper or chili powder; 6 tb grated parmesan cheese; 6 tb grated pecorino cheese
Method: Combine basil, oil, garlic, pine nuts, salt and pepper or chili powder in the food processor and process until the sauce is very smooth and creamy. Place the sauce in a bowl, add grated cheeses and mix well.
I suggest to prepare a rather large amount of pesto, because it can be stored in glass jars (or air-tight containers) in the refrigerator for at least a couple of weeks. If you are going to store it in the fridge, pour a thin layer of olive oil in each jar on top of the sauce, to protect it from air. It can also be frozen and kept in the freezer for up to 3 months. In this case, it doesn't need any additional "protective" oil.
When cooking your pasta (with pesto, flat spaghetti are the best), reserve a few tb of hot water to dilute the sauce. You can also add a couple of potatoes and some fresh or frozen green beans to spaghetti for a richer dish.
Pesto is also nice on toasts, as an appetizer.

Fruit and spice sauce

Thanks: Laura Valli, Italy

Ingredients: (serves 4); 1 tb extra virgin olive oil; 1 tb butter; 2 ts breadcrumbs; 2 ts orange rind (grated, or finely shredded); 2 ts dried coconut (shredded); 2 ts coarsely ground hazelnuts; 2 ts coarsely ground almonds (or peanuts, or pecans, or hazelnuts again); 1/2 to 1 ts mixed spice (garamasala, or thai spices, or 5 spice); 2 fresh sage leaves (optional); 1/4 cup butter milk or fresh cream; pinch of salt; pinch of black pepper; 2 tb grated Parmesan cheese
Method: Place butter and oil in a saucepan over medium heat. When butter is melted, add fruit and spice (ingredients from "breadcrumbs" to "sage") and cook until lightly browned, stirring occasionally. Add buttermilk and salt, stir and simmer for a few minutes. Remove from heat, add pepper and Parmesan cheese. Place pasta in a bowl, add sauce, mix well and serve hot.

Eggplant mousse

Thanks: Giulia Settimo [ giulia.settimo --at-- iol.it ], Italy

Ingredients: (serves 4); 1 large eggplant; 1/2 cup Greek style yogurt (unflavoured); 4 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil; salt &pepper to taste
Method: Wrap the eggplant in greaseproof paper, then in aluminium foil and bake in the oven for 45 minutes at 180º C. While still hot, cut the eggplant in half and spoon the pulp out. Mash eggplant pulp with a fork, adding yogurt, oil, salt, and pepper to taste.
This mousse can also be chilled and used as a dip with tacos, bruschetta etc.

Saffron sauce

Lucretia B

Ingredients: (serves 4); 1 teaspoon Spanish saffron; 5 oz butter; 6 tablespoons hot water; 1 Oxo cube (or similar); 4 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese
Method: Heat water with the Oxo cube in a small pan. When the cube is melted, add saffron and butter. Remove from heat and add grated Parmesan cheese just before serving.

3 Cheeses sauce

Thanks: Marina Tadiello, Italy

Ingredients: (serves 4); 2 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese; 4 tablespoons cottage cheese; 4 tablespoons cream cheese; 1 egg; salt and pepper to taste
Method: Mix all the ingredients together. When your pasta is cooked, drain it and place it in a large saucepan on low heat, add the sauce and stir well until evenly mixed.

Carbonara sauce

Lucretia B

Ingredients: (serves 4); 1 cup smoked bacon, diced; 1 medium onion; 2 tablespoons olive oil; 4 eggs; 4 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese; pepper
Method: Finely chop onion and bacon. Place in a small saucepan with oil, cover with lid and stew on low heat, mixing occasionally, until onion is dissolved (it takes more or less one hour). While your pasta is cooking, beat eggs with parmesan cheese and pepper. Drain pasta, place it in a big china or ceramics bowl and pour beaten eggs first, then the steaming hot onions and bacon. Mix well and serve immediately: eggs should NOT be allowed to cook!

Mushroom sauce

Lucretia B

Ingredients: (serves 4) Best served with Fettuccine; 12-20 button mushrooms; 2 garlic cloves, grated or finely sliced; 2 tb fresh parsley, ground; 4 tb extra virgin olive oil; 2 tb dry white wine; 1 cup fresh cream (optional); pinch of salt; pinch of pepper; 4 tb grated Parmesan cheese; 12 oz fettuccine
Method: Place oil, garlic, and parsley in a saucepan over medium heat . Saute for 5 to 7 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add mushrooms, finely sliced. Stir and simmer until all the moist has evaporated, then add the white wine. When the wine has evaporated, add salt, pepper and whipping cream (or half a cup of cold water). Simmer over low heat for 15 minutes. Toss fettuccine with sauce, sprinkle with grated Parmesan cheese and serve hot.

California sauce

Lucretia B

Ingredients: (serves 4) Best served with Fettuccine; 1/2 cup black walnuts (shelled); 2 garlic cloves; 4 tb extra virgin olive oil; pinch of salt; pinch of black pepper; 4 tb grated Parmesan cheese; 4 fresh sage leaves (optional); 12 oz fettuccine
Method: Place all the ingredients (except fettuccine!) in the food processor. Add 4 tablespoons hot water (from the pan where you're cooking your fettuccine) and process until smooth. Toss fettuccine with sauce, coating well.

Lemon sauce

Lucretia B

Ingredients: (serves 4) Best served with Fettuccine; 1 lemon; 2 oz butter; 2 tb ground peanuts; pinch of salt; pinch of black pepper; 12 oz fettuccine
Method: Carefully peel the yellow rind from the lemon and cut it into thin strips. Place butter and ground peanuts in a small saucepan over medium heat. Saute until peanuts are golden brown, stirring regularly. Add salt and pepper, the juice of the lemon and the lemon rind. Bring to boil, then toss fettuccine with sauce.

Last updated 28 jun 2011