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What’s your trick to a delicious simple tomato pasta sauce

121 replies

IHopeYouStepOnALegPiece · 04/04/2024 09:38

I want to make a fucking delicious creamy tomato pasta with a beautiful burrata I have to use up. My tomato pasta sauces are either v flat tasting or I’ve used so much garlic and herbs to liven it up that it tastes like a mouthful of oregano and a vampires worst nightmare.

so I would love some recipes or tips for a rich and flavourful pasta sauce

OP posts:
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8
crispyeggs · 04/04/2024 10:43

https://www.mob.co.uk/recipes/roasted-tomato-and-mascarpone-tagliatelle

Never let me down. Very quick and easy and you can omit mascarpone if you don't want a creamy sauce

Mob

https://www.mob.co.uk/recipes/roasted-tomato-and-mascarpone-tagliatelle

Cantonet · 04/04/2024 10:43

Tin of Italian chopped tomatoes.
Aldi & Lidl are fine but Mutti tins are excellent. 4 cloves of chopped garlic & fry gently in extra virgin olive oil. Add tomatoes & a couple of fresh Oregano sprigs. Half a teaspoon of sugar - 1 teaspoon to taste, salt & pepper to taste. Tins do vary in their acidity. Add torn fresh basil when cooked down.
A perfect simple sauce. I often add some chilli flakes too when frying up the garlic.

Anuggetofpurestgreen · 04/04/2024 10:43

GETTINGLIKEMYMOTHER · 04/04/2024 10:35

TBH I’d prefer the word from an Italian to anything from GP! The person who told me (a relation by marriage of MiL) used her with-celery tomato sauce on plain pasta - she said she invariably kept some ready in the fridge for a quick, simple meal - same as she’d just served to Mil, me and then little dds - it was delicious.

GP's great! You can also learn to roast a chicken! I was slightly joking; my Italian mates gave me my original recipe but as we know, there are millions of regional variations in Italy so onions and Celery may well be in yours. Sounds lovely!

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Hoppinggreen · 04/04/2024 10:47

I think Ocado has a special offer on the Mutti tomatoes at the moment

Papyrophile · 04/04/2024 11:22

Amazing number of Marcella Hazan followers here. She is great. No showy photos, just straightforward recipes.

Worldgonecrazy · 04/04/2024 11:26

Heartbreaktuna · 04/04/2024 09:59

Also, cook it. But refrigerate and reheat the next day. I think it helps enhance the flavours.

I do this but don’t refrigerate overnight. I’m not dead yet, and neither is anyone in my family - I think it starts to breakdown a bit, adding to the flavour, Simmer the next day for a few minutes.

CamCurls · 04/04/2024 11:28

Papyrophile · 04/04/2024 11:22

Amazing number of Marcella Hazan followers here. She is great. No showy photos, just straightforward recipes.

Couldn’t agree more about Marcella. If you try her sauce though don’t “discard” the onion - add it to a cheese toastie. Delicious!

ToBeOrNotToBee · 04/04/2024 11:45

Simmer.
Some white wine.
And add a fat. Butter or cream make it divine.

therealcookiemonster · 04/04/2024 12:35

recipe from my Italian friend. finely chopped garlic, shallot, carrot, celery, chilli flakes and salt sautéed on low heat in olive oil until golden. add a little fresh chopped rosemary.
then add plenty of fresh, very ripe chopped tomatoes (I normally stick them in the oven for twenty minutes on low heat first to make peeling easier and concentrate flavour). if good tomatoes are not available, better to use tinned (I use mutti). and also some tomato paste.
add stock of choice, I prefer to use chicken and a couple of table spoons of balsamic vinegar as I don't drink alcohol. you can add red wine if you prefer or even grape juice/cranberry juice.

then cook on the lowest possible heat with lid on until sauce is sticky and lustrous. drizzle olive oil and lemon juice and scatter with fresh herbs and lemon zest before serving. I find chopped fresh mint to be a lovely addition when pairing with burrito or fresh mozzarella

Lifesd · 04/04/2024 12:36

A teaspoon of sugar to make the tomatoes less acidic

StrangewaysHereWeCome · 04/04/2024 12:51

slight derail, but to all the Marcella Hazan fans - is there a book you'd recommend? I have a birthday coming up and am always in the market for cookbooks.

Mementomorissons · 04/04/2024 12:55

As pp's have said - salt, sugar and stock powder (eg bouillon or Oxo).

I just use a teaspoon each of those three

Papyrophile · 04/04/2024 13:02

The Classic Italian Cookbook was the first to be published in the UK. the Second Classic Italian Cookbook followed it. I use the Second volume slightly more often than the first. Edited for SPaG.

LIZS · 04/04/2024 13:03

Add sun dried tomato paste

Papyrophile · 04/04/2024 13:06

I bought them before t'Internet existed. The third in the series also has some favourite recipes (Semifreddo al cioccolato) and my mum likes Marcella's Kitchen. Not sure how many are still in print.

PrimalLass · 04/04/2024 13:07

Mutti Polpa.

pinkpale · 04/04/2024 13:08

Add butter and a bit of sugar
A mix of fresh and canned Mutti tomatoes
Blob of pesto

PossumintheHouse · 04/04/2024 13:13

Always simple, fresh ingredients. Leave sweet vine tomatoes left bubbling on the stove for a for a long time.
Instead of a teaspoon of sugar I add a dash of honey and a tablespoon of balsamic. Finish off with either fresh basil or oregano.

LuciferRising · 04/04/2024 13:14

Mutti tinned tomomato and paste. Lots of paste.
Garlic paste rather than fresh.
Sundried tomatoes and black olives diced.
Lots of dried parsley. More than you think.
Some oregano.
Fresh basil.
Salt.
Cook on stove for long time, or bake in oven which is even better.

I batch cook it every few weeks.

KitchenSinkLlama · 04/04/2024 13:21

The tomatoes make a big difference. If I'm using tinned I only use mutti. They are more expensive but so much better.

Also a bit of sugar and time.

LadyMonicaBaddingham · 04/04/2024 13:24

Marcella Hazan's simple sauce is tomatoes, onion and butter. I rarely deviate from this...
www.thekitchn.com/marcella-hazans-amazing-4ingre-144538

NoSnowdrop · 04/04/2024 13:26

Coming on here to say Marcella Hazan and pleased to see all the love.

her tomato sauce is iconic and the only recipe you need OP. The one with the onion if you want to look it up.

SheerLucks · 04/04/2024 13:27

Unless you're vegetarian, The River Cafe's tomato and anchovy pasta is the best tomato pasta sauce of all time for me (we don't bother with the optional broccoli).

What’s your trick to a delicious simple tomato pasta sauce
SheerLucks · 04/04/2024 13:36

twilightcafe · 04/04/2024 09:45

Cook it s l o w l y!
Use the ripest, best quality tomatoes you can find.
As it's April and tomatoes aren't in season anywhere - I use Mutti Polpa chopped, tinned tomatoes. Worth every penny.

I don't get the fuss with Muliti chopped tomatoes - it's too finely chopped and almost like passata. I much prefer Cireo or Napolina.