So I'm making a basic spaghetti sauce. It's far from authentic italian, I dun care. I browned some ground beef and ground pork, added green peppers, onions, mushrooms, and garlic; and threw in cans of crushed tomatoes, diced tomatoes, and tomato paste. I also threw in 3 bay leaves. It's simmering as I type.
All it needs now are spices. What should I add and how much? I know nothing about italian spices, I just know I don't want to crack into the jar of Ragu in the cupboard.
Pic unrelated, that's not my sauce.
Brody Howard
Oregano is great, even if dried. Salt and Black pepper is a must and consider a bit of honey to bring out the sweetness of the other ingredients.
I put a few drops of an anchovy based sauce, like worchester or nam pla, in mine and red wine is fucking great in any tomato based sauce.
Parker Miller
Crushed pepper flakes.
You stupid, boy?
Angel Richardson
Don’t forget basil. Quality dried or fresh. Go nuts either way. Basil rocks
John Sanchez
standard: salt, pepper, oregano, basil, red wine
secred ingredient: whole cloves
Landon Sullivan
This basically We made our sauce like this at Italian restaurant, but we ordered select tomatoes every year from Italy Meats, sausage or beef simmered on low heat for hours in the sauce is fucking great
Jayden Ramirez
Add a little bit of fish sauce
Jaxon Morris
I made a meaty sauce once. One thing I had to do was add some sugar (not a whole lot) to cut down on this acidic taste.
Ryder Lopez
celery leaf and some finely diced carrot are must haves for a good sauce
Wyatt Rogers
I believe the carrot sweetens it up a bit
Bentley Jackson
never considered carrots in a pasta sauce. are we talking so fine that they are disolved/not noticiable in the sauce?
Aiden Carter
Yeah, I'll usually grate them on a fine grater so they basically disappear into the sauce. It's good to saute them with the onion too, browns the sugars in them a little bit. You can also use balsamic vinegar to add a little sweetness. Adding just sugar is fine if you don't overdo it, but it's better to add an ingredients to sweeten it that also adds some flavor too.
Caleb Davis
I had to add the sugar since i was far into the simmer process (like 2 hours or so in), so adding anything like that would not have made sense. But i will keep that in mind for next time.
Josiah Allen
...
Jackson Thomas
anchovies shallots sherry vinegar
Nathaniel Morales
Equal parts thyme, oregano, basil, ground peppercorn. Dried, not fresh, and added at the beginning of the cook.
Parm rind is nice too. Go easy on it though.
And yes, carrots. I chop fine, don't grate, but do how you like.
Benjamin Evans
green peppers booo
Nathaniel Bell
chili flakes or ceyanne pepper
Chase James
I ended up adding oregano, basil, thyme, pepper flakes, salt and pepper. Basically everything that was recommended in this thread that I had in the kitchen that it wasn't too late to add. It turned out pretty decent, roommates liked it too. Thanks guys.
Dylan Roberts
Finely diced celery, carrots, bay leaves, chicken/beef stock, and a touch of nutmeg.
Julian Harris
whack an anchovy or 2 in there.
Andrew Hughes
>American opinions on Italian food
just fucking end it
David Evans
>tomatoes native to america >noodles from china >"italian" food hmm