Good home-made alternative to "Ragu" type sauces
Discussion
When feeling lazy, we like to knock up a quick spag-bol after work. Normally using a jar of Ragu type sauce.
Most of them taste OK but some of them can taste a bit grasey - they're also rather expensive given the size of the jar.
Recently I tried to make my own from a couple on onions, some mushrooms and a tin of tomatoes. However it diddnt really taste of much so on the next attempt I added some tomato puree.....the time after that I tried adding ketchup.
How can I replicate the sort of noticable flavours of the ready-made sauces? Also, the water in the tinned tomatoes tends to make the sauce rather sloppy and watery (possibly resultin gin the flavour loss) so how do I thicken it up a bit?
Most of them taste OK but some of them can taste a bit grasey - they're also rather expensive given the size of the jar.
Recently I tried to make my own from a couple on onions, some mushrooms and a tin of tomatoes. However it diddnt really taste of much so on the next attempt I added some tomato puree.....the time after that I tried adding ketchup.
How can I replicate the sort of noticable flavours of the ready-made sauces? Also, the water in the tinned tomatoes tends to make the sauce rather sloppy and watery (possibly resultin gin the flavour loss) so how do I thicken it up a bit?
Goochie said:
I tried adding ketchup
>apoplectic<http://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?h=0&a...
ETA - make a batch, let it cool and ladle it into freezer bags
you can defrost it in less than 5 mins and boil off any water as you heat it up, easy way to make dinner in 10 mins whilst you have a glass of wine
Edited by sleep envy on Tuesday 3rd February 14:35
You need to cook the tomatoes for longer to reduce liquid and concentrate flavour.
For a decent amount of sauce (say 2 x 500g ready made equivalent)
Finely chop 2 x medium red onions and soften in olive oil with 3 chopped garlic cloves.
Once soft, add 3 x cans of whole or chopped tomatoes (if whole, break up toms with a wooden spoon)
Simmer for about 20 minutes to reduce the amount of liquid.
Season with salt and pepper and a teaspoon of sugar.
Dried herbs are also good - Oregano, basil, whatever you like really. Don't be shy with it either.
For variation I usually add a dash of cheap balsamic and half a teaspoon of cheats chilli from a jar for a bit of extra kick. You can also add some anchovies at the beginning just before the tomatoes for extra flavour.
For a decent amount of sauce (say 2 x 500g ready made equivalent)
Finely chop 2 x medium red onions and soften in olive oil with 3 chopped garlic cloves.
Once soft, add 3 x cans of whole or chopped tomatoes (if whole, break up toms with a wooden spoon)
Simmer for about 20 minutes to reduce the amount of liquid.
Season with salt and pepper and a teaspoon of sugar.
Dried herbs are also good - Oregano, basil, whatever you like really. Don't be shy with it either.
For variation I usually add a dash of cheap balsamic and half a teaspoon of cheats chilli from a jar for a bit of extra kick. You can also add some anchovies at the beginning just before the tomatoes for extra flavour.
Sounds like your problems lie in seasoning and not reducing it (cooking it longer) enough.
As mentioned, fry onion/celery until soft, add garlic and tin o' tomatoes. Simmer for ~10 minutes until its nicely reduced, add salt/pepper, and there's your basic sauce.
If you want a smoother sauce, push the tomatoes through a sive to make passata.
Its more expensive, but buying a variety of different tomatoes and roasting them beforehand will give it a bit more flavour.
As mentioned, fry onion/celery until soft, add garlic and tin o' tomatoes. Simmer for ~10 minutes until its nicely reduced, add salt/pepper, and there's your basic sauce.
If you want a smoother sauce, push the tomatoes through a sive to make passata.
Its more expensive, but buying a variety of different tomatoes and roasting them beforehand will give it a bit more flavour.
im half italian, i also cook for a living, and this is one of my favourites. passed to me by my father passed to him by his father and so on, its dead simple but so tasty.
for two people.
fry in olive oil till browned, 1 sliced red onion
1 crushed clove of garlic
1 diced/de-seeded red chilli, or less if you dont like it hot.
1 diced pork loin steak or salsiccia sausage if you can get hold of it (this is for flavour)
add 1 carton of passatta
1 tbsp tom puree
rinse said carton out with red wine and pour into pan (dnt be shy i often use a glass and a half)
cover and simmer for an hour the longer you simmer the better, when my mother and father used to make this it was on the stove all day simmering, if it starts to dry up, add a touch of water this will cut the richness the process of reducing the sauce has created but you wont lose flavour.
the pork/sausage ends up stewed into the sauce and it tastes awesome, boil your pasta add som e of the sauce to the pasta pan once cooked and drained and stir (you are just wanting to coat the pasta in the sauce). plate your pasta up then add more sauce to the top and garnish healthily with freshly milled black pepper and parmesan. please try this its great! and very quick to prepare. and authentically italian. cant say ive tatsed dolmio, quite proud of that!
for two people.
fry in olive oil till browned, 1 sliced red onion
1 crushed clove of garlic
1 diced/de-seeded red chilli, or less if you dont like it hot.
1 diced pork loin steak or salsiccia sausage if you can get hold of it (this is for flavour)
add 1 carton of passatta
1 tbsp tom puree
rinse said carton out with red wine and pour into pan (dnt be shy i often use a glass and a half)
cover and simmer for an hour the longer you simmer the better, when my mother and father used to make this it was on the stove all day simmering, if it starts to dry up, add a touch of water this will cut the richness the process of reducing the sauce has created but you wont lose flavour.
the pork/sausage ends up stewed into the sauce and it tastes awesome, boil your pasta add som e of the sauce to the pasta pan once cooked and drained and stir (you are just wanting to coat the pasta in the sauce). plate your pasta up then add more sauce to the top and garnish healthily with freshly milled black pepper and parmesan. please try this its great! and very quick to prepare. and authentically italian. cant say ive tatsed dolmio, quite proud of that!
Sounds like you aren't letting it simmer long enough or aren't draining the tinned toms first.
Plus it sounds like you aren't seasoning it enough.
Everyone does it their own way, I just use good tinned tomatoes, mixed herbs, onions, mushrooms, tomato puree, garlic, dab of worcestershire sauce, salt and plenty of cracked black pepper.
Beautiful, and it doesn't repeat on your for the rest of the evening like some of the sauces do.
Plus it sounds like you aren't seasoning it enough.
Everyone does it their own way, I just use good tinned tomatoes, mixed herbs, onions, mushrooms, tomato puree, garlic, dab of worcestershire sauce, salt and plenty of cracked black pepper.
Beautiful, and it doesn't repeat on your for the rest of the evening like some of the sauces do.
I had a go at making my own batch the other week and was very proud of it too.
Similar to others mentioned here.
2 onions finely chopped
3 cloves garlic
1 tbsp olive oil
3 tins chopped tomatoes
1 tbsp brown sugar
big handfull of chopped fresh basil
salt and pepper
Fry off the onions and garlic in the olive oil until translucent. Add chopped tomatoes, salt and pepper and sugar and simmer for a 40-45 mins at least. Then add fresh basil and cook for a further 5-10 minutes (adding at end so that the basil retains some color rather than turn black). To get the "Dolmio/Ragu" consistency, liquidize in the pan. The chopped onions and tomatoes should give a nice thick sauce. I always found that without liquidising, it would be too watery with lumps of tomatoe pulp rather than a sauce.
I added it to some portabello mushrooms and spicy italian sausage. let it cook down for a further 8 mins while some fusilli cooked to perfect al dente. One or two Ladels of sauce was enough for one person and remaining sauce was put into small pots and frozen for later.
Only think I might change is some chili and red wine (didnt have either at the time), but for a first effort it was great and not too greasy and acidic compaired to previous attempts I had made.
Similar to others mentioned here.
2 onions finely chopped
3 cloves garlic
1 tbsp olive oil
3 tins chopped tomatoes
1 tbsp brown sugar
big handfull of chopped fresh basil
salt and pepper
Fry off the onions and garlic in the olive oil until translucent. Add chopped tomatoes, salt and pepper and sugar and simmer for a 40-45 mins at least. Then add fresh basil and cook for a further 5-10 minutes (adding at end so that the basil retains some color rather than turn black). To get the "Dolmio/Ragu" consistency, liquidize in the pan. The chopped onions and tomatoes should give a nice thick sauce. I always found that without liquidising, it would be too watery with lumps of tomatoe pulp rather than a sauce.
I added it to some portabello mushrooms and spicy italian sausage. let it cook down for a further 8 mins while some fusilli cooked to perfect al dente. One or two Ladels of sauce was enough for one person and remaining sauce was put into small pots and frozen for later.
Only think I might change is some chili and red wine (didnt have either at the time), but for a first effort it was great and not too greasy and acidic compaired to previous attempts I had made.
Edited by skibum on Tuesday 3rd February 20:24
sleep envy said:
Goochie said:
I tried adding ketchup
>apoplectic<
Quite right - HP gives a much better tang 
Worcester Sauce is good too.
Sounds like seasoning.
I fry the onions with some garlic & chilli, then add the meat to brown it off with some oregano, thyme, a bay leaf or 2, salt & pepper.
Carefully, drain the excess fat off with a spoon.
Add some chopped mushrooms, a can of tinned toms & some tom puree or passatta, chicken & beef stock cubes, and a glass of wine
Leave to simmer for an hour or so, stirring occassionally.
Just before serving, add Worcester Sauce to taste
, or stir in some cream 
For a 'bolognese' sauce, best to brown the mince (in batches) first, as the softening onions will release water and you'll steam the mince. Then, if you have a lot of beef fat in the pan you can pour some out!
Then go on to soften the onion, add the garlic and, pretty quickly, the tomatoes (in whatever form you prefer). There shouldn't be mushrooms, really, but 'English style bolognese' has become something in itself so you can add what you like.
A quick google found this: http://www.bbc.co.uk/food/recipes/database/bologne... and without the carrot and green pepper (what are they thinking?) would be a good basic version.
ETA- "sleep envy"'s recipe on the linked thread sounds best.
Then go on to soften the onion, add the garlic and, pretty quickly, the tomatoes (in whatever form you prefer). There shouldn't be mushrooms, really, but 'English style bolognese' has become something in itself so you can add what you like.
A quick google found this: http://www.bbc.co.uk/food/recipes/database/bologne... and without the carrot and green pepper (what are they thinking?) would be a good basic version.
ETA- "sleep envy"'s recipe on the linked thread sounds best.
Edited by grumbledoak on Wednesday 4th February 19:22
grumbledoak said:
For a 'bolognese' sauce, best to brown the mince (in batches) first, as the softening onions will release water and you'll steam the mince. Then, if you have a lot of beef fat in the pan you can pour some out!
Then go on to soften the onion, add the garlic and, pretty quickly, the tomatoes (in whatever form you prefer). There shouldn't be mushrooms, really, but 'English style bolognese' has become something in itself so you can add what you like.
A quick google found this: http://www.bbc.co.uk/food/recipes/database/bologne... and without the carrot and green pepper (what are they thinking?) would be a good basic version.
ETA- "sleep envy"'s recipe on the linked thread sounds best.
He's right you know. Then go on to soften the onion, add the garlic and, pretty quickly, the tomatoes (in whatever form you prefer). There shouldn't be mushrooms, really, but 'English style bolognese' has become something in itself so you can add what you like.
A quick google found this: http://www.bbc.co.uk/food/recipes/database/bologne... and without the carrot and green pepper (what are they thinking?) would be a good basic version.
ETA- "sleep envy"'s recipe on the linked thread sounds best.
Key thing is the cooking time - a minimum of two hours on a very low heat. Make a big pot and freeze the sauce in batches.
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