My pasta sauce is boring......any ideas?
Mar 29, 2011, 2:48 am
#61
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Take just one, dice very finely. All she will notice is an improvement in the depth of flavour. No fishyness guaranteed.
Mar 29, 2011, 6:01 am
#62
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Well said. 
Yes well I hope you're right.
I'm certainly up for giving it a try. I shall choose the time carefully probably when she has to go away for the day.....one whiff or sight of a anchovy would scupper the whole operation.
I'm certainly up for giving it a try. I shall choose the time carefully probably when she has to go away for the day.....one whiff or sight of a anchovy would scupper the whole operation.
Mar 29, 2011, 11:21 am
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Mar 29, 2011, 3:24 pm
#64
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Mar 29, 2011, 3:42 pm
#65
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The other way to get rid of the salts/saltiness is to soak the anchovies in milk for a few minutes (dried cod/bacala/bacalao is reconstituted similarly). IMHO, iakes away from the point of anchovies though.
Mar 30, 2011, 11:11 am
#66
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I make quite a few pasta dishes, hope something below helps!
1. i prefer this with potato gnocci, but it works with pasta as well. Melt butter in a frying pan large enough to take the cooked gnocci at the end. Melt butter, until it starts to sizzle, then add individual fresh sage leaves, and let them sizzle away until they are dark green and crisp, by which point the butter will have browned slightly (not burned!) The tip in the gnocci, coat, and let the outside of the gnocci begin to brown in places. Transfer to warmed bowls, and add shavings (not grated) parmasan or romano cheese, and a twist of black pepper.
2. Not a sauce entirely, but with spagetti I like to gently fry (without it becoming brown) garlic in a little olive oil, dice very flavourful cocktail tomatoes, fresh basil (I prefer european basil which doesn't have the aniseed taste), and add to the garlic just long enough to take the chill off, then transfer to the drained spagetti, toss, and serve with romano shavings. For a change I will dice buffalo mozzarella and stir that in to the spagetti with the other ingredients.
3. Also normally done with spagetti in my house but works with whatever, I cook and drain the pasta, transfer it back to the saucepan, add a glug of olive oil or butter, toss in several handfuls of arugla (it seems like a ton, but it wilts down to nothing!) and stir over a low heat until the arugla reduces down. You can serve with some cheese (I do like cheese with my pasta!)
4. Creme fraiche is good with pasta, either with the arugla as above, or you can add salmon, proscuitto, etc. as well. If you can't get it, you can achieve similar with a 50-50 mix of sour cream and whipping cream and a squirt of lemon juice.
1. i prefer this with potato gnocci, but it works with pasta as well. Melt butter in a frying pan large enough to take the cooked gnocci at the end. Melt butter, until it starts to sizzle, then add individual fresh sage leaves, and let them sizzle away until they are dark green and crisp, by which point the butter will have browned slightly (not burned!) The tip in the gnocci, coat, and let the outside of the gnocci begin to brown in places. Transfer to warmed bowls, and add shavings (not grated) parmasan or romano cheese, and a twist of black pepper.
2. Not a sauce entirely, but with spagetti I like to gently fry (without it becoming brown) garlic in a little olive oil, dice very flavourful cocktail tomatoes, fresh basil (I prefer european basil which doesn't have the aniseed taste), and add to the garlic just long enough to take the chill off, then transfer to the drained spagetti, toss, and serve with romano shavings. For a change I will dice buffalo mozzarella and stir that in to the spagetti with the other ingredients.
3. Also normally done with spagetti in my house but works with whatever, I cook and drain the pasta, transfer it back to the saucepan, add a glug of olive oil or butter, toss in several handfuls of arugla (it seems like a ton, but it wilts down to nothing!) and stir over a low heat until the arugla reduces down. You can serve with some cheese (I do like cheese with my pasta!)
4. Creme fraiche is good with pasta, either with the arugla as above, or you can add salmon, proscuitto, etc. as well. If you can't get it, you can achieve similar with a 50-50 mix of sour cream and whipping cream and a squirt of lemon juice.
Mar 30, 2011, 11:17 am
#67
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I make quite a few pasta dishes, hope something below helps!
1. i prefer this with potato gnocci, but it works with pasta as well. Melt butter in a frying pan large enough to take the cooked gnocci at the end. Melt butter, until it starts to sizzle, then add individual fresh sage leaves, and let them sizzle away until they are dark green and crisp, by which point the butter will have browned slightly (not burned!) The tip in the gnocci, coat, and let the outside of the gnocci begin to brown in places. Transfer to warmed bowls, and add shavings (not grated) parmasan or romano cheese, and a twist of black pepper.
2. Not a sauce entirely, but with spagetti I like to gently fry (without it becoming brown) garlic in a little olive oil, dice very flavourful cocktail tomatoes, fresh basil (I prefer european basil which doesn't have the aniseed taste), and add to the garlic just long enough to take the chill off, then transfer to the drained spagetti, toss, and serve with romano shavings. For a change I will dice buffalo mozzarella and stir that in to the spagetti with the other ingredients.
3. Also normally done with spagetti in my house but works with whatever, I cook and drain the pasta, transfer it back to the saucepan, add a glug of olive oil or butter, toss in several handfuls of arugla (it seems like a ton, but it wilts down to nothing!) and stir over a low heat until the arugla reduces down. You can serve with some cheese (I do like cheese with my pasta!)
4. Creme fraiche is good with pasta, either with the arugla as above, or you can add salmon, proscuitto, etc. as well. If you can't get it, you can achieve similar with a 50-50 mix of sour cream and whipping cream and a squirt of lemon juice.
1. i prefer this with potato gnocci, but it works with pasta as well. Melt butter in a frying pan large enough to take the cooked gnocci at the end. Melt butter, until it starts to sizzle, then add individual fresh sage leaves, and let them sizzle away until they are dark green and crisp, by which point the butter will have browned slightly (not burned!) The tip in the gnocci, coat, and let the outside of the gnocci begin to brown in places. Transfer to warmed bowls, and add shavings (not grated) parmasan or romano cheese, and a twist of black pepper.
2. Not a sauce entirely, but with spagetti I like to gently fry (without it becoming brown) garlic in a little olive oil, dice very flavourful cocktail tomatoes, fresh basil (I prefer european basil which doesn't have the aniseed taste), and add to the garlic just long enough to take the chill off, then transfer to the drained spagetti, toss, and serve with romano shavings. For a change I will dice buffalo mozzarella and stir that in to the spagetti with the other ingredients.
3. Also normally done with spagetti in my house but works with whatever, I cook and drain the pasta, transfer it back to the saucepan, add a glug of olive oil or butter, toss in several handfuls of arugla (it seems like a ton, but it wilts down to nothing!) and stir over a low heat until the arugla reduces down. You can serve with some cheese (I do like cheese with my pasta!)
4. Creme fraiche is good with pasta, either with the arugla as above, or you can add salmon, proscuitto, etc. as well. If you can't get it, you can achieve similar with a 50-50 mix of sour cream and whipping cream and a squirt of lemon juice.
Mar 30, 2011, 11:22 am
#68
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I sometimes put some sundried tomatoes I chopped a little bit before in some oliveoil (or the oil they were pickled) in a pan. When they heated up a little bit, I add some feta cheese in small cubes and let it melt a little bit. Then I add the pasta and stirr it all before I put it on the plates.
You might also add chopped onions and garlic with the sundried tomatoes.
Don't forget your pepper (and salt).
You might also add chopped onions and garlic with the sundried tomatoes.
Don't forget your pepper (and salt).
Mar 30, 2011, 11:28 am
#69
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Oh yes, I forgot sundried tomatoes! I use my mixer to blend half a small jar of sundried tomates with some of the oil into cream cheese, and use that stirred into the pasta! Haven't had that in a while! Maybe that is tonight's supper!
Mar 31, 2011, 5:35 pm
#71
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Apr 2, 2011, 9:56 am
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A dollop of freshly made ricotta is a welcome addition to most tomato-based pasta sauces. 
btw, I'm with uk1 in believing that the shape & quality of the pasta plays an important role in its enjoyment.
http://www.chow.com/food-news/54492/...sta-met-sauce/
btw, I'm with uk1 in believing that the shape & quality of the pasta plays an important role in its enjoyment.
http://www.chow.com/food-news/54492/...sta-met-sauce/
Apr 2, 2011, 1:47 pm
#74
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Speaking of which, OP, when making a veg-only tomato sauce, use white wine not red. You can use red for Bolognese and ragu.
Apr 2, 2011, 2:30 pm
#75
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