Growing up I had very fond memories of the afternoons where my mom would be cooking down her homemade pasta sauce on the stove. The smell filled the house and my brother and I would “check” to see how the sauce was progressing throughout the day. We couldn’t help ourselves!
She always made a big batch and froze it for quick weeknight dinners, which I still do to this day. My mom used to add Italian sausage to her sauce, but this recipe is without. If you want to add it, it’s easily added after the sauce has been pureed before its second simmer. She always thinly sliced it and quickly pan fried the pieces before tossing them into the sauce for an hour or two.
Pomodoro? Marinara? Arrabiata?
The wildest thing about Italian recipes is that they are very serious about traditional recipes, but pasta sauce is so individual from family to family and there are many regional differences. These are some of the general “rules” and name origins of popular tomato sauces throughout Italy:
Amatriciana – Roman style tomato sauce with guanciale and pecorino cheese.
Arrabiata – Means angry sauce, but it’s actually just spicy! Arrabiata uses simple ingredients with the addition of red chili peppers to make it spicy.
Marinara – Marinara is thought to have originated in Naples at the marina, where sailors needed something quick to prepare with few ingredients that could utilize the seafood they caught. Marinara is usually served with seafood.
Pomodoro – Literally means tomato in Italian, but often the most tomato-forward sauce and one of the most common types of “regular” pasta sauce.
Puttanesca – Another Napoli recipe literally translating to “in the style of the whore”. Some suggest it was simply named for being a quick meal between “clients” or for being a recipe where all the “shit” in the cupboard was thrown in. Typically contains olives, capers, and anchovies.
Ragù – Thick italian tomato sauce with meat. Many regional differences have spurred many different versions such as Ragù, Ragù alla Napoletana, and Ragù alla Bolognese.
To Prepare:
Chop your onions and get your garlic ready while you preheat your pot over medium heat. Once the pot is hot, add the oil, allowing it to get hot before adding the onions and garlic, cooking for 5 minutes until soft and translucent.
Add the canned tomatoes and all the remaining ingredients. Stir to combine, then bring to a simmer before reducing the heat and simmering partially covered for 2 hours. The sauce will thicken and reduce.
Using the immersion blender, puree your sauce until all the large onion chunks and tomatoes are broken down.
Simmer for another hour until the sauce turns back to a deep red colour and reduces.
Use it in any recipe that calls for marinara or enjoy as is over freshly cooked pasta. About a 1/2 cup of sauce is enough for 3 oz of dry pasta.
My Mom’s Homemade Pasta Sauce
Equipment
- Immersion Blender
- Large Pot
Ingredients
- 4 large onions, quartered
- 6 garlic cloves, peeled
- 4 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
- 4 (28 oz) cans diced tomatoes
- 1 ½ tsp fine sea salt or to taste
- 4 tsp dried basil
- 4 tsp dried oregano
- 1 tsp red pepper flakes
- ½ tsp black pepper, freshly ground
Directions
- Chop your onions and get your garlic ready while you preheat your pot over medium heat. Once the pot is hot, add the oil, allowing it to get hot before adding the onions and garlic, cooking for 5 minutes until soft and translucent.
- Add the canned tomatoes and all the remaining ingredients. Stir to combine, then bring to a simmer before reducing the heat and simmering partially covered for 2 hours. The sauce will thicken and reduce.
- Using the immersion blender, puree your sauce until all the large onion chunks and tomatoes are broken down.
- Simmer for another hour until the sauce turns back to a deep red colour and reduces.
- Use it in any recipe that calls for marinara or enjoy as is over freshly cooked pasta. About a 1/2 cup of sauce is enough for 3 oz of dry pasta.
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