Italian Sauces

Lisa’s Italian Sauces

Disclaimer: I don’t make my Italian sauces with recipes. What I have put here is a list of ingredients and an approximation of the measurements to give you an idea and a basic guide of what I do. Some of the cooking times and amounts may vary somewhat.

Marinara Sauce

2 Tbsp. olive oil

2 garlic cloves, minced

1 small onion, chopped

1 16 oz. can crushed tomatoes

½ 6 oz. can tomato paste

1 Tbsp. sugar

2 tsp. dried basil (you can use fresh but need to put more)

1 ½ tsp. salt

Heat oil. Add garlic and onion and sauté until tender. Stir in tomato paste, crushed tomatoes and remaining ingredients. Reduce heat, cover and cook 20 min. or until thickened. Serve over any pasta shape of your choice.

Shrimp Sauce

2 Tbsp. olive oil

2 small zucchini, chopped

1 yellow squash, chopped

1 red bell pepper, chopped

1 Tbsp. capers (optional)

1 cup fresh mushrooms

1 8 oz. package of cooked salad shrimp

2 garlic cloves, minced

1 ½ cups frozen corn

1 ½ cups white wine

Salt and pepper to taste

Heat oil. Add all the ingredients except the shrimp. Cook until the vegetables are tender but be careful not to overcook them. In the last 7 min. add the shrimp. Serve over spaghetti or linguine. If desired, sprinkle with Parmesan cheese.

Cubana Sauce

2 Tbsp. olive oil

2 or 3 carrots, diced

1 cup celery, diced

4 Tbsp. capers

1 cup sliced fresh mushrooms

1 green bell pepper, diced

1 tsp. dried oregano

1 28 oz. can of diced or crushed tomatoes

2 cups water

Salt and pepper to taste

1 8 oz fresh Italian mozzarella in small cubes

Fresh chopped Italian parsley

1 box Barilla penne pasta

Heat oil. Add the carrots and celery. Cook until a little tender. Add the tomatoes, capers, mushrooms, bell pepper, water and then salt and pepper to taste. Cover the pot and continue to cook for 20 min. Cook the pasta just before the sauce is ready. While the sauce is still warm, add the cubes of mozzarella to melt them. Then add the chopped parsley. Top pasta with the sauce.

Paglia e Fieno Sauce

2 Tbsp. olive oil

1 medium onion, chopped

2 cups cooked ham, diced

2 cups mushrooms, sliced

2 cups frozen peas

2 ½ cups heavy cream

1 cup Parmesan cheese

Salt and pepper to taste

1 pkg. Fettuccine (half spinach pasta and half regular pasta)

Heat oil. Add onions and sauté until tender. Add ham and mushrooms. Cook about 10 min. Add peas and cream and continue to cook on low heat for 5 more min. Add the Parmesan cheese to the sauce. Serve immediately on cooked fettuccine.

Roasted bell pepper sauce

4 large bed bell peppers

¾ cup whipping or heavy cream

1 envelope Good Season Italian salad dressing

2 Tbsp. dried basil (if the basil is fresh, double the amount)

Salt and pepper to taste

1 pkg. Barilla medium shells

Parmesan cheese

Cut the peppers in half and remove the seeds. Place peppers in a foiled lined baking pan. Broil the peppers until they almost turn completely black. Immediately place in paper bag; close and let cool about 30 min. Remove the skin and chop them into medium-sized chunks. In blender, process prepared peppers, cream, dressing, salt and pepper until smooth. Toss with hot shells and serve with Parmesan cheese.

Mediterranean Sauce

4 Tbsp. olive oil

1 medium onion, chopped

1 clove garlic, minced

1 can albacore tuna, drained

1 28 oz can crushed tomatoes

Salt and pepper to taste

1 small jar of green olives

1 cup Sicilian black olives (or regular black olives)

Fresh basil, chopped

1 500 gr. Spaghetti

Heat oil. Add the chopped onion, garlic and chopped basil. Sauté until tender. Drain the tune and add to the onion mix. Break up the large chunks of tuna. Add the tomatoes. Bring to a boil and then lower the heat. Season with salt and pepper. Add the olives and continue to cook for 20 min. Pour over hot spaghetti.

Carbonara Sauce

8 oz. chopped pancetta (Italian bacon)

4 egg yolks, beaten

½ cup whipping cream

2 Tbsp. butter

Salt and pepper to taste

1 cup Parmesan cheese

Spaghetti

Heat a large saucepan. Add the chopped pancetta. Cook slowly until it has rendered some of its fat. Beat egg yolks with the cream. Add the Parmesan cheese and salt and pepper. Set aside. Cook the pasta. Drain the water from the pasta but save 2 or 3 Tbsp. of the cooking water. In another saucepan melt the butter, add the cooked pasta and the reserved water. Add the pancetta with the fat. Remove the pan from the heat. Add the egg mixture and incorporate well with the pasta. Put the pan back on the burner and mix well. The eggs will cook in a few seconds. Remove the pan from the heat and serve immediately.

Gnocchi (Italian potato dumplings)

2.2 lbs. Russet potatoes

2 ½ cups flour

1 egg

Salt and pepper to taste

Freshly grated nutmeg

Cook whole potatoes in a large pan of salted water about 1 hour. Check for tenderness with a fork. Bring another large pot of water to a boil in which the gnocchi will be cooked. As soon as the potatoes are cooked, peel them and put them through a potato ricer and into a large bowl. Add the flour, salt, pepper, nutmeg and the egg to the potatoes. Quickly mix the ingredients to form a ball. Place the dough into a Ziploc bag and use it as a pastry bag by cutting off one corner on a diagonal about ½ inch wide. Have another person push the dough slowly through the opening in the Ziploc bag and cut gnocchi with a kitchen sheer into one inch pieces. Drop gnocchi into salted water in several batches. As soon as they are cooked, they will float to the top. With a slotted spoon, drain off the excess water and place them into a serving dish layering the gnocchi with the sauce and parmesan cheese.

.

Homemade Pasta

2 1/3 cups all purpose flour

1 tsp. dried basil, marjoram, or sage, crushed (optional)

½ tsp. salt

2 beaten eggs

1/3 cup water

1 tsp. cooking oil or olive oil

In a large mixing bowl stir together 2 cups of the flour; spice (optional) and salt. Make a well in the center of the dry mixture. In a small mixing bowl combine eggs, water and oil. Add to dry mixture; mix well.

Sprinkle kneading surface with the remaining flour. Turn dough out onto floured surface. Knead till dough is smooth and elastic (8 to 10 minutes total). Cover and let the dough rest for 10 minutes.

Divide dough into 4 equal portions. On lightly floured surface, roll each portion into a 12-inch square (about 1/16 inch thick). Let stand, uncovered, about 20 minutes. Cut as desired. Cook homemade pasta till tender but still firm (2 – 3 minutes for most types). Drain well. Makes about 1 pound fresh pasta.