-- to gussy up a jar of pasta sauce.
From my favourite food blog (Simply Recipes) comes a list and an mind-set
I have espoused for years.
"While we love making homemade sauce, there's no shame in the jarred
pasta sauce game! Jarred sauce has saved many weeknight meals, and
today we're sharing our top five favorite tips on how to dress it up!"
To read the full presentation follow the Tin Yurl (anyone heard from
Glenn Jamieson lately?)
https://tinyurl.com/PASTA-FAZOOL
I've been tarting up el-cheapo and not so inexpensive red pasta sauces
for 60+ years and have gotten pretty good at it. And found a couple
that don't *need* tweaks - like Onofrios and Rao's (both premium priced)
And a couple that don't need much - like Newman's Own and Classico. Oh,
and Dei Fratelli, too. But for the others ...... Cambria's list of how
to quick fix pretty much is on all-fours with mine. Bv)= (I really like
it when my "usual" practice is endorsed by an expert)
On the theory that you can never have too many bullets for your gun ...
Here's how to quickly fix your jarred pasta sauce:
TOO WATERY? Reduce it on the stove for 10 minutes.
TOO ACIDIC? Add a tablespoon of sugar or a little cream.
TOO SWEET? Add lemon zest, a splash of red wine, or some acid in the
form olives or capers. (I'm not a fan of sugo in pasta sauce.)
TOO SALTY? Add a squeeze of lemon juice, red wine vinegar, or a spoon
full of cream. (I'd never thought of the cream - so, I learned a new
trick - which makes this a good day. - UDD)
TOO BLAND? Missing that savory umami note? Add Parmesan, browned tomato
paste, anchovies, or fish sauce. (Anchovy paste is *my* go-to. Parm is
for sprinkling at table.)
TOO DULL? Brighten it with a handful of fresh herbs, like basil,
parsley, or thyme. (and somtimes a healthy was of the jarred "Italian Seasoning" blend from your cabinet)
MMMMM----- Recipe via Meal-Master (tm) v8.06
Title: Penne Pasta w/Meat Sauce
Categories: Pasta, Beef, Vegetables, Herbs, Chilies
Yield: 4 servings
1/2 lb Penne pasta
Salt
2 tb Extra virgin olive oil
2 c Chopped onion
2 cl Garlic; chopped
1 ts Italian seasoning blend
Dash red pepper flakes
1/2 ts Fresh thyme
Salt & fresh ground pepper
1 lb (16% fat) ground beef
3 Fresh basil leaves; chopped
+=OR=+
1/2 ts Dried basil
2 1/2 c Canned chunky tomato sauce
1 ts Sugar (opt)
1 tb Chopped fresh parsley
COOK THE PENNE PASTA: Heat to boiling a large pot with 4
quarts of water in it. Once the water is boiling, salt
it with 2 Tbsp of salt. Once the water returns to a boil
add the pasta to the pot.
Leave uncovered, let cook on high heat with a vigorous
boil. Put the timer on for 8-10 minutes, or whatever
your pasta package says is appropriate for al dente
(cooked but still a little firm). Drain.
SAUTÉ ONIONS, GARLIC, WITH SEASONINGS: Once you've
started to heat the water, start working on the sauce.
Heat olive oil in a very large skillet on medium heat.
Add the chopped onion, Italian seasoning and red pepper
flakes.
Cook for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the
onions are softened. Add the garlic, fresh thyme, season
with salt and pepper. Cook for an additional minute,
until the garlic is fragrant. Remove from heat and set
aside.
BROWN THE GROUND BEEF: Heat a large cast iron pan on
high heat. Salt the bottom of the pan generously. Once
the pan is hot, break up small chunks of ground beef and
add them to the pan, without stirring. (You may need to
work in batches; do not crowd the pan.) You want the
meat to get well browned.
If the pan is too hot and the meat is burning, not
browning, take the pan off the heat for a little, and
reduce the heat to medium high. On our coil electric
stove, it takes the high heat setting for the meat to
brown sufficiently, but your stove may be different.
Once the meat is browned on one side (a couple of
minutes), use a metal spatula to flip the meat over to
brown on the other side. At this point, assuming you are
using a cast iron pan, you can remove the pan from the
heat. The residual heat in the pan will finish cooking
the meat.
ADD BEEF AND TOMATO SAUCE TO ONIONS: Use a slotted spoon
to lift the meat from the cast iron pan and add it to
the pan with the seasoned onions.
Add tomato sauce. Use the edge of your metal spatula to
break up the bigger chunks of meat into smaller pieces.
Add basil. Add a teaspoon of sugar (if using). Bring to
a simmer on low heat, let cook, uncovered, for 15
minutes.
ADJUST SEASONINGS AND ADD THE PASTA: Once the sauce has
simmered for 15 minutes, adjust seasonings. Add salt and
pepper to taste. Add a little more sugar if the sauce is
too acidic. Add more tomato sauce if the sauce is a
little dry. Stir in the cooked penne pasta. Sprinkle
with chopped parsley. Serve immediately.
NOTE: When I make this I use hot Italian sausage and
cut back the dried Italian spices blend and leave off
the chile flakes. - UDD
RECIPE FROM:
https://www.simplyrecipes.com
Uncle Dirty Dave's Kitchen
MMMMM
... A rotisserie is a really morbid Ferris wheel for chickens
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