Everyone on DL had hyped it up as being a religious experience. When I tried it for the first time I was let down as it’s no better than Prego to me. And Prego is much cheaper!
by Anonymous | reply 147 | April 27, 2022 8:17 AM |
Try Ragu & Cook Like A Mother.
by Anonymous | reply 1 | March 8, 2022 11:32 PM |
I actually prefer Prego to Ragu. Ragu is awful.
by Anonymous | reply 2 | March 8, 2022 11:33 PM |
Ragu is a taste my childhood...when I was forced to eat it.
by Anonymous | reply 3 | March 8, 2022 11:35 PM |
Ragu is too sweet.
Prego Traditional is excellent.
Rao is ridiculously expensive, as are their frozen entrées.
by Anonymous | reply 4 | March 8, 2022 11:38 PM |
It is not difficult to make your own sauce
by Anonymous | reply 5 | March 8, 2022 11:39 PM |
I like Rao's Arrabbiatta and Marinara sauces a lot. I was unimpressed with their frozen entrees.
by Anonymous | reply 6 | March 8, 2022 11:40 PM |
Elder gays will recall Enzo Stuarti as the spokesperson for Ragu in their commercials.
by Anonymous | reply 7 | March 8, 2022 11:40 PM |
Ragu is something I get in the moot for every 2 or 3 years... to remind me why I waited 2 or 3 years. It's the brand my mom always bought... until Prego came out around 1980, I discovered it, and never wanted to eat Ragu again.
by Anonymous | reply 8 | March 8, 2022 11:57 PM |
Are you sure they didn’t mean for you to try it at the restaurant?
by Anonymous | reply 10 | March 9, 2022 12:13 AM |
Rao is healthier (compare the ingredients).
by Anonymous | reply 12 | March 9, 2022 12:15 AM |
My favorite jarred pasta sauce is Silver Palate. Very good, simple ingredients. I tried Rao’s once a long time ago and remember being underwhelmed.
by Anonymous | reply 13 | March 9, 2022 12:23 AM |
Take a 28-ounce can of whole peeled tomatoes, 5 tbsp of butter, and an onion (peeled and cut in half), dump it all in a saucepan on medium heat. Bring it to a simmer. Before it boils, turn the heat down to low and let it cook for 45 minutes, once in a while bashing the tomatoes against the side with a spoon to break them up. At the end, add salt to taste and throw out the onion. What you’ll have left is better than anything you can find at the store. Easy peasy. Thanks to Marcella Hazan.
by Anonymous | reply 14 | March 9, 2022 12:29 AM |
R13-Consumer Reports gives the HIGHEST rating to The Silver Palate Low Sodium followed closely by Victoria Low Sodium Sauce.
by Anonymous | reply 15 | March 9, 2022 12:30 AM |
It’s fair enough to say you don’t like Rao’s, but to say it’s the same as Prego or Ragu is ridiculous. It’s like saying imported Parmigiano is the same as Velveeta.
by Anonymous | reply 16 | March 9, 2022 12:30 AM |
R15 Well well! Yes it’s very good for a jarred sauce, and I always add some Italian seasoning and dried red pepper, along with Parmesan and fresh basil.
by Anonymous | reply 17 | March 9, 2022 12:31 AM |
R17- I should have been more specific- Silver Palate Low Sodium Marinara and Victoria Low Sodium Marinara.
by Anonymous | reply 18 | March 9, 2022 12:34 AM |
I don't understand why anyone would buy sauce in a jar. It's so easy to make.
by Anonymous | reply 19 | March 9, 2022 12:36 AM |
Even easier: heat up in a tall sided saucepan two cups of water, a chicken bouillon cube, a can of tomato paste and a teaspoonful of basil. If you want you can add mushrooms and garlic. It’s same fucking thing.
by Anonymous | reply 20 | March 9, 2022 12:38 AM |
As if it is excusable not to make your own tomato sauces. Such laziness. It's fortunate your taste receptors are coated over, you lot.
It's not like times haven't adjusted to the Rise of the Sloths. It's sad but acceptable to purchase Roma/Italian tomatoes from your supplier, if they're not pink, polished or spotted. Assuming you've already run out of your home-canned tomatoes, sauce and juice.
by Anonymous | reply 21 | March 9, 2022 12:40 AM |
even good tomato sauce is still, in the end, tomato sauce.
by Anonymous | reply 22 | March 9, 2022 12:40 AM |
I found it overrated- not that much different from my cheap stuff.
by Anonymous | reply 23 | March 9, 2022 12:48 AM |
Isn't Rao's owned by the former Mrs. Trump Jr. ?
by Anonymous | reply 24 | March 9, 2022 12:50 AM |
My Italian friends swear by Barilla for store-bought sauces. And I agree!
Offsite Linkby Anonymous | reply 25 | March 9, 2022 12:57 AM |
Rao’s is overpriced. If you compare to other sauces it has less sugar and more fat. Depends on your palate. Not a fan personally.
by Anonymous | reply 26 | March 9, 2022 12:58 AM |
Cipriani seeks their sauces online now, and their pasta. It’s good.
Offsite Linkby Anonymous | reply 27 | March 9, 2022 2:22 AM |
I prefer Michael's of Brooklyn Home Style Gravy.
by Anonymous | reply 28 | March 9, 2022 2:38 AM |
Agree that Rao's sauce is overrated, considering the price.
Ragu is really, really sweet. Prego is sweet but tastes pretty good.
Classico, in that price range (Ragu, Prego) would be my favorite. Not overly sweet.
by Anonymous | reply 29 | March 9, 2022 2:45 AM |
R24 Vanessa’s father made a huge investment in Raos to help it go from restaurant to bottled for stores. He made about $410 Million when it was sold. When he died, his wife and two daughters inherited 1/3 each. That $ is what inspired Vanessa to get out of the Trump marriage. Classy Don Junior made a claim on her inheritance / wanted alimony. He lost and Vanessa escaped.
by Anonymous | reply 30 | March 9, 2022 2:59 AM |
R30, that's an interesting bit of news I had heard nothing of that. We want that tell-all, Vanessa!
by Anonymous | reply 31 | March 9, 2022 3:03 AM |
Yes r28! Love Michael’s of Brooklyn - have only tried their tomato basil, I’ll look out for the gravy next time.
by Anonymous | reply 32 | March 9, 2022 3:10 AM |
Interesting, R30, I had never heard that either, R31.
Rao's disappointed me as well, OP. Back in 2020 when everything was out of stock and there were quantity limits at the grocery store I bought brands I wouldn't ordinarily buy and Rao's was one of them.
I like Prego but I'm not a fan of Ragu - I'm willing to give Classico a try the next time I need sauce.
by Anonymous | reply 33 | March 9, 2022 3:10 AM |
Victoria brand is the only jar sauce I like.
But it's so easy to make a basic sauce - or I should say basic sauces - that I don't bother with the jar ones.
by Anonymous | reply 34 | March 9, 2022 3:57 AM |
I take any canned or jar sauce Rao Cento Barilla, whatever and punch it up.
I saute onions and garlic in olive oil. Parsley' dried chilli and oregano as I feel like. Add a fresh tomato or two, chopped.
Then lastly a handful of chopped fresh basil before pouring in the contents of the jar. Slow simmer.
Done.
by Anonymous | reply 35 | March 9, 2022 6:54 AM |
R14 Your recipe is the best. I'm never sure if the correct terminology is 'sauce' or 'gravy' or 'Sunday gravy'. Add a little sugar if you want the sweeter sauce but that's all it takes. **chef's kiss**
by Anonymous | reply 36 | March 9, 2022 7:17 AM |
^^BUT I do like Rao's in a pinch. it's the best of the jarred sauces IMHO.
by Anonymous | reply 37 | March 9, 2022 7:20 AM |
Try Carbone. Was introduced in the last 6 months or so. Available here in the suburbs of NY. I'm not sure if it's nationwide.
by Anonymous | reply 38 | March 9, 2022 7:26 AM |
[quote]Add a little sugar
Never ever ever, R36. Cease and desist immediately with such blasphemy or your DL posting privileges will be revoked.
by Anonymous | reply 39 | March 9, 2022 7:28 AM |
R39 But I like a sweeter sauce! Maybe my tomatoes aren't sweet enough? Please advise...
by Anonymous | reply 40 | March 9, 2022 7:45 AM |
My mom taught me how to make sauce at 6 y.o. from cabinet ingredients.
Personally, I now use Bertolli Organic as a base and add to it whatever I feel I need. Not because I am lazy (which I am) but more because I am somewhat concerned about the acid in the tomatoes making the chemicals in the plastic lining the cans leach into the sauce.
Also, from many years of making sauce (all kinds of ways) it is always better the second day. Much like beans. The bottled sauce somewhat alleviates the need to make it a day ahead because it already has ingredients that have been marinating in it for awhile.
by Anonymous | reply 41 | March 9, 2022 7:46 AM |
Whatever happened to Aunt Millie's -- that was actually pretty good tomato sauce.
by Anonymous | reply 42 | March 9, 2022 7:48 AM |
R36 it's ok to add a pinch of sugar. This is called for in their sauce southern Italians made in prewar Newark NJ.
by Anonymous | reply 43 | March 9, 2022 9:11 AM |
Rao's is the best "off the shelf" sauce. I would never date, not that I could get a date, but if I did - I would NEVER date anyone who uses Prego, Ragu, Classico, or anything outta Back to the Future whereas these days you have ORGANIC simple ingredient sauces but you still want trash. No thanks. I'll die alone in my Rao's. I WILL NOT GO BACK DAMMIT!
by Anonymous | reply 44 | March 9, 2022 9:18 AM |
No wonder you ^ can't find a date.
by Anonymous | reply 45 | March 9, 2022 9:23 AM |
hey r45, you're on Datalounge. Trust me you ain't got a date lined up either. Enjoy your Prego.
by Anonymous | reply 46 | March 9, 2022 10:00 AM |
@r30, Thanks, I thought I remembered a connection between Rao's and Trump. Glad Vanessa and the kids got out of that family
by Anonymous | reply 47 | March 9, 2022 10:06 AM |
Good Lord, don't buy anything by Barilla!!! Guido Barilla is a fucking nasty homophobe asshole. Sure he says he's changed. Don't believe him.
by Anonymous | reply 48 | March 9, 2022 10:29 AM |
I second Marcella's incredibly simple recipe for tomato sauce that somebody included above. It's absolutely delicious, cheap and easy... Three very good things. 😉
Make it whenever you have time and it will last several days covered and refrigerated, so it'll be ready for whenever you want to cook your meal.
by Anonymous | reply 49 | March 9, 2022 10:36 AM |
@r44, r45, I date a lot, because I don't give a damn what kind of sauce a guy uses :)
by Anonymous | reply 50 | March 9, 2022 10:47 AM |
Back in the early 1990s I liked Ragu, and they even had a program where you sent in like $2.99 and some UPC labels and you'd get things like a pasta pot or a cutting board, and it was the first real cookware I had. I really didn't have any money so it was nice. Unfortunately, somewhere around 1996 or so, the taste changed and it was really cloying and nasty. I've tried it a couple times since then just out of curiosity and there's still a fake, cloying, plastic taste to it.
by Anonymous | reply 51 | March 9, 2022 11:32 AM |
Rao's Italian Wedding Soup is the best canned (well, jarred) soup I've ever had. I started making my own soups years ago and it's been almost impossible for me to go back to canned, but the Rao's Wedding Soup is fine.
Their basic marinara sauce is also good but expensive. If I can get a good 28 oz. can of crushed San Marzano tomatoes, it's just as easy to make my own.
by Anonymous | reply 52 | March 9, 2022 11:36 AM |
Ditto, OP. I bought some of the overpriced sauce to use and it wasn't that great. Very disappointed in DL's tastemakers.
by Anonymous | reply 53 | March 9, 2022 11:37 AM |
The addition of sugar is likely only necessary because we don't use the correct tomatoes here and/or don't let them ripen fully.
Italians also think our eggs are crappy. Pale and weak and without any life.
by Anonymous | reply 54 | March 9, 2022 4:46 PM |
Rao's marinara is quite tasty to us. Stock up when it's on sale!
by Anonymous | reply 55 | March 9, 2022 4:48 PM |
I have a few jars of Raos on the pantry. Kroger had it on sale for $4/jar and it is very keto friendly and less sugar. Haven't tried it yet.
by Anonymous | reply 56 | March 9, 2022 4:51 PM |
Rao’s for the win.
Ragu is garbage.
Haven’t had Prego in years, may have to try again.
Barilla hates homos. Boycott. BOYcott. BOYCOTT.
MY grandma’s homemade marinara beats them all. ❤️
by Anonymous | reply 57 | March 9, 2022 5:00 PM |
American eggs ARE kind of awful. Get organic or local or free range eggs and you'll be shocked at the difference in taste and texture.
by Anonymous | reply 58 | March 9, 2022 5:04 PM |
For those of you who add sugar, try adding a little red wine instead.
by Anonymous | reply 59 | March 9, 2022 5:16 PM |
I don't see anything wrong with adding sugar if there's too much tartness. Great, sweet tomatoes aren't easy to come by for everybody.
by Anonymous | reply 60 | March 9, 2022 5:23 PM |
Granny added a pinch of sugar to ALL veggies.
by Anonymous | reply 61 | March 9, 2022 5:27 PM |
Prego sounds like something a Frau is before she has kiddos
by Anonymous | reply 62 | March 9, 2022 5:28 PM |
I've not tried Rao's and just purchased two jars of Rao's marinara at Costco for $8.99. If I don't make my own, my go to is Michael's of Brooklyn.
by Anonymous | reply 63 | March 9, 2022 5:44 PM |
Rao's is by far the best of the national brands. It is the only one made without added water, which is usually the second ingredient in the other brands. It is impossible to make a "good" sauce, put it in a glass jar, ship it country-wide, and turn a profit when you're selling it for $3-ish. You can't do it. Rao's is more expensive, usually at least twice that amount, but that's mostly because it has to be. Sure, there's a "premium" markup, but that accounts for only a minority of the price differential.
by Anonymous | reply 64 | March 9, 2022 5:48 PM |
I did a taste test between Rao's and Bertoli. Bertoli for the win.
by Anonymous | reply 65 | March 9, 2022 5:53 PM |
I highly recommend Vesper Bros…especially their Arrabiata sauce. I always have a few bottles on-hand…it’s basically my version of milk, eggs, or bread when I go to Whole Foods.
by Anonymous | reply 66 | March 9, 2022 5:57 PM |
Barilla. From the Des Moines Register. (Barilla US is based in Illinois; company sponsors athletics at Iowa State U.)
[quote] “I would never make a spot [advert] with a homosexual family,” Barilla said Wednesday on the Italy radio program “La Zanzara” (“The Mosquito”). “Not out of a lack of respect but because I do not see it like they do. (My idea of) family is a classic family where the woman has a fundamental role.”
Supposedly, Barilla has changed is views & rehabbed the company's image. You be the judge.
Offsite Linkby Anonymous | reply 67 | March 9, 2022 6:07 PM |
[quote] It is not difficult to make your own sauce
Bravo, R5. Anyone can do this.
I start with heirloom tomato seeds. I start them under a plant light and transfer outdoors. If you are an apartment dweller, simply transfer your tomatoes to large containers as they grow, keeping the grow light at an even balance. Composted kitchen leftovers will decompose into lovely fertilizer and one can make one’s own manure tea. The goodness of all-natural gardening is essential to a really delicious pasta sauce.
by Anonymous | reply 68 | March 9, 2022 6:18 PM |
Whenever I think of Barilla pasta, I think of nearly 20 years ago when a cute DLer posted a link to a Barilla ad in which they appeared.
by Anonymous | reply 69 | March 9, 2022 6:21 PM |
Whenever I think of Barilla pasta, I think of Chris Barillas...the patron saint of Mediapolis and father to Datalounge.
by Anonymous | reply 71 | March 9, 2022 6:25 PM |
Classico is ok. Less sweet than others. Generally, I use the Shulman NYT recipe which uses garlic, crushed red pepper and oregano.
by Anonymous | reply 72 | March 9, 2022 6:29 PM |
geeze, but prego add a can of tomatoes and boil off the water.
by Anonymous | reply 73 | March 9, 2022 6:40 PM |
These are the ingredients per their website. They don't list how much, just the ingredients. They act like they've solved world hunger and bad plastic surgery on their website.
ITALIAN WHOLE PEELED TOMATOES, OLIVE OIL, CARROTS, SALT, CELERY, BASIL.
by Anonymous | reply 74 | March 9, 2022 7:38 PM |
R36/R40. Use only San Marzano tomatoes and your sauce with be appropriately sweet.
[quote]The addition of sugar is likely only necessary because we don't use the correct tomatoes here and/or don't let them ripen fully.
Oh FFS, R60, San Marzano tomatoes are NOT difficult to find.
Offsite Linkby Anonymous | reply 75 | March 9, 2022 7:43 PM |
We love Raos sauce, especially the basil, which I use for pizza. I can make sauce, and can even replicate my mothers Sunday sauce (which takes 3 days) - but I don't have the time. Tomato sauce, and all food, is personal taste - there is no right or wrong - find what you like and stick with it. I think all the jarred sauces have come a long way in the last few years. When I was a kid, my mother never bought sauce in a jar - she was from Sicily, but as she got older, she would do it - she loved Michael's of Brooklyn, which I also like, but my market rarely has it. My mom would never add sugar - if the tomatoes weren't as sweet she would add a carrot to the sauce. I used to go to a friends house and her mother and grandmother used to say the more sugar the better - I hated their sauce, it tasted like dessert topping - blech - but like I said,, find what you like and stick with it.
by Anonymous | reply 76 | March 9, 2022 8:21 PM |
Raos is the best hands down. Good enough to eat out of the jar. Ive tried them all, only one that comes close is the recently introduced Carbones. Still not as good as Raos, the gold standard.
by Anonymous | reply 77 | March 9, 2022 8:39 PM |
Can we please keep politics out of our fucking tomato sauce?!
by Anonymous | reply 78 | March 9, 2022 8:40 PM |
DelGrosso makes very good pasta sauces on par with Rao's and the SIlver Palate's. It was originally only available in mid-Atlantic region grocery stores but I now see it in my local Publix here in Florida. Family owned business, gay friendly.
by Anonymous | reply 79 | March 9, 2022 10:10 PM |
Make your own! Stop eating out of cans!! Did the New American Cuisine teach you nothing?
by Anonymous | reply 80 | March 9, 2022 10:13 PM |
They significantly shrunk Rao’s section in my Walmart. Doomed. It also sweats lots of water if you let it sit awhile on pasta in Tupperware. I like the taste but not the water when I go to eat my lunch at work.
by Anonymous | reply 81 | March 9, 2022 10:17 PM |
Avoid any jarred sauce that lists tomato puree as the first ingredient.
Mezetta sauces are very good.
by Anonymous | reply 82 | March 9, 2022 10:24 PM |
[quote] They significantly shrunk Rao’s section in my Walmart.
The average Walmart shopper is probably not going to pay more for Rao's vs. Ragu, etc. Brace yourself for Walmart discontinuing Rao's sauce.
by Anonymous | reply 83 | March 9, 2022 10:29 PM |
R83, it used to be an entire three shelves and Walmart is likely their biggest national account. I also noticed Publix places it on the tip top shelf rather than eye level and easily accessible with the more popular brands and the jar looked old.
by Anonymous | reply 84 | March 9, 2022 10:34 PM |
R84, I'm surprised. Online (Walmart), there's a huge selection, but most items are out of stock. What they do have online is heavily discounted.
Supply chain issues? Maybe Walmart and Rao's have parted ways.
by Anonymous | reply 85 | March 9, 2022 10:39 PM |
Knowing Rao’s is carried at Wal-Mart certainly dampens its appeal. I’ve only seen it at Whole Foods.
by Anonymous | reply 86 | March 9, 2022 10:42 PM |
Eating out of cans are for obese trash who shop at Walmart.
by Anonymous | reply 87 | March 9, 2022 11:38 PM |
It is also available for purchase at Costco and Target, r86. Its distribution vector does not affect its quality.
by Anonymous | reply 88 | March 9, 2022 11:40 PM |
Bullshit. Canning and pickling are vital food preservation methods which allow us to stockpile and outlast adverse seasons and locations for growing/gathering food.
Not everyone lives at the equator where they can pop out the front door and find ripe dinner on the vine or hook in five minutes.
by Anonymous | reply 89 | March 9, 2022 11:53 PM |
I like the Ragu Simply Traditional sauce, no added sugar and made with olive oil.
I do see that it has tomato puree, oh well we still like it.
by Anonymous | reply 90 | March 10, 2022 12:23 AM |
I'm a fan of Rao's. I don't mind Prego or Classico, but since Rao's tastes better to me and I can afford it, why not? Rao's, DeCecco pasta (so much tastier than Barilla), real parm coarsely grated, black pepper and a drizzle of good olive oil is pretty much my perfect 10 minute, no effort dinner.
by Anonymous | reply 91 | March 10, 2022 12:31 AM |
[quote]Use only San Marzano tomatoes and your sauce with be appropriately sweet.
R75 You are correct! Thank you.
by Anonymous | reply 92 | March 10, 2022 12:36 AM |
[quote]Knowing Rao’s is carried at Wal-Mart certainly dampens its appeal. I’ve only seen it at Whole Foods.
Oh, look at you R86! Overspending at Whole Foods instead of placing one of your dainty feet in Walmart.
by Anonymous | reply 93 | March 10, 2022 12:43 AM |
R54 In general, I wish manufacturing would find ways to remove water from products, and formulate them so that the water could be added by the end user, at least with products that are soluble, like sauces. They are doing this now with some detergents (hopefully successfully). It’s an energy issue, moving more unnecessary mass and volume from their point of origin to the point or sale, then consumption. This is only party related to this topic, but I’m glad readers on this thread are looking so carefully at the composition of prepared foods, watching for things like sugars, corn syrup, water as a second ingredient, also dehydrated garlic and onion. If you don’t cook with these ingredients, you don’t want them in prepared foods (with the exception of natural perseverations, and even those can make good ingredients taste funky.
by Anonymous | reply 94 | March 10, 2022 9:15 AM |
R91 Coarsely grated Parmesan is the way to go. The really finely grated form tastes like sawdust and might have some anti-clumping materials or surfactants that make them taste inert, bland and just old. Cheaper Parmesan tastes very salty and mealy. So I try to buy a block of it and grind it in a small electric chopper, and tastes so good that way. Your ten minute meal with the good olive oil sounds exactly how I’d like to eat on school nights. Awkwardly, you might find me at your door with a checkered napkin tied around my shoulders, or my necktie tucked in my shirt, “suited up” to eat.
by Anonymous | reply 95 | March 10, 2022 9:23 AM |
It’s meh. Inexpensive at Costco if you like it.
by Anonymous | reply 96 | March 10, 2022 9:27 AM |
R74 that's a lot of salt. It could literally kill people.
by Anonymous | reply 97 | March 10, 2022 11:07 AM |
R95. Fresh Locatelli Pecorino Romano is the best. Not cheap, but oooooh so good.
Offsite Linkby Anonymous | reply 98 | March 10, 2022 11:08 AM |
Is there any brand that makes concentrated sauces in smaller containers where you add the water yourself?
I realize this is like the original Campbell's soups, but that was a good idea.
If not, some enterprising DLer should take that and run with it. A whole line of sauce concentrates. Start with pasta sauce and work from there.
by Anonymous | reply 99 | March 10, 2022 11:09 AM |
Please tell me you're joking, R99.
Offsite Linkby Anonymous | reply 100 | March 10, 2022 11:16 AM |
Just use tomato paste if you're going to go that route,🤕R99.
by Anonymous | reply 101 | March 10, 2022 1:25 PM |
I think the concentrate idea is a great one. Some people like thick and some people like thin, but I think manufacturers just want to stretch their products and tend to make them watery. I used to love Barilla - I think it was called casserole sauce? - I don't know if they make it anymore. I used to love all of their products, especially their pasta - but after the CEO's hateful comments, and the even more insulting and anemic response from that company, I donated all of my Barilla pantry items (which were extensive) to a local LGBT homeless shelter, and never again bought anything of theirs. It's a shame, they were (are) really good. My whole family used to use our garden tomatoes to put up passata and sauce - my mom had an amazing (with an unusual method) of making amazing marinara, which was then the basis for the "Sunday" sauce - or gravy as some Italians called it. I use this method (with some short cuts) still today.
by Anonymous | reply 102 | March 10, 2022 2:20 PM |
Tomato paste IS basically concentrated spaghetti sauce, though. There are tons of recipes for sauce made with tomato paste and water and spices. Kraft Spaghetti Dinner was a spice packet that you put into tomato paste thinned down with water. Not sure there's a market for a jarred version of that.
by Anonymous | reply 103 | March 10, 2022 2:30 PM |
Tomato paste is concentration tomato passata - which is basically skinned, seeded and pureed tomatoes. If you reconstitute paste, you get passata, not sauce.
by Anonymous | reply 104 | March 10, 2022 2:35 PM |
[quote]Make your own! Stop eating out of cans!!
San Marzano tomatoes come in cans!! Two exclamation marks!!
by Anonymous | reply 105 | March 10, 2022 3:05 PM |
Every summer I buy a ton of tomatoes from a neighbor that grows them. I use this recipe but I skip the paste in the oven part. I cut them into chunks and throw them in the biggest pot I have, simmer for 10 minutes until they dump their water, pass through a hand crank food mill, then reduce the resulting liquid down to desired consistency on the stove. I pour the sauce into ziplok bags and freeze. It makes the naturally sweetest sauce I've ever tasted, very tart too. Definitely better than anything I've had from a can, including the San Marzanos. And the tomatoes my neighbor grows are the common round variety found in the supermarket, you'd probably get even better results with plum tomatoes.
Offsite Linkby Anonymous | reply 106 | March 10, 2022 3:33 PM |
Paul Newman's vodka sauce.
by Anonymous | reply 107 | March 10, 2022 3:40 PM |
Most neighbor GIVE their tomatoes away.
Just sayin'...
by Anonymous | reply 108 | March 10, 2022 3:46 PM |
It's scary that r44 thinks "organic" tomatoes (or anything) is somehow better for you (it isn't), better for the soil (it isn't) or even "free of pesticides!" (it isn't).
You wonder what happened to people's ability to think, ask or find out simple truths like these!
by Anonymous | reply 109 | March 10, 2022 5:02 PM |
Er, r44 didn't say organic tomatoes were better for the soil or free of pesticides. I don't see anyone on this thread who said that. Am I missing something?
by Anonymous | reply 110 | March 10, 2022 5:06 PM |
It's just pasta sauce… In my experience, Classico is slightly better than Prego, which in turn is slightly better than Ragu. But that's all subjective. Everyone's taste is different.
by Anonymous | reply 111 | March 10, 2022 5:20 PM |
Yeah, it would be good if we could buy a concentrated sauce. No sense trucking, flying, and shipping water when the consumer can add water themselves.
Nuts.com has a tomato powder that I've been thinking of ordering. (Their sun-dried tomatoes were good.)
Not necessarily for pasta sauce, but just for times when you want to amp up tomato flavor.
Tomato paste / puree would also be handy.
by Anonymous | reply 112 | March 10, 2022 5:37 PM |
[quote] Tomato paste is concentration tomato passata - which is basically skinned, seeded and pureed tomatoes. If you reconstitute paste, you get passata, not sauce.
Is passata raw (tomato) while paste is cooked, though?
by Anonymous | reply 113 | March 10, 2022 5:37 PM |
I've made sauces from Pomi brand passata that comes in little cartons, and it's not the same as a sauce made from tomato paste mixed with water. I always assumed Pomi was cooked, but just checked their website and they say it's "thermally pasteurized," which could mean cooked for all I know.
Offsite Linkby Anonymous | reply 114 | March 10, 2022 5:45 PM |
R114, I think Pasteurization requires "mild" heat. You can Pasteurize an egg and then use that egg yolk for a Caesar salad dressing (raw consistency in the egg).
That Pomi product looks good.
by Anonymous | reply 115 | March 10, 2022 5:50 PM |
I believe over 90% of our 70's moms had cans of tomato paste in their cupboard or pantry.
by Anonymous | reply 116 | March 10, 2022 5:58 PM |
I've used / bought this Mutti tomato paste in a tube. Really nice to have on hand. You can just squeeze out a little at a time and don't need to use up an entire can.
Offsite Linkby Anonymous | reply 117 | March 10, 2022 6:00 PM |
It's delicious r115, I really like it.
I've used Mutti Triplo in r117 as well but haven't been able to find it in a long time. I've been getting Cento paste and their San Marzano canned tomatoes lately, or Pomi if it's in the stores (hasn't been for a while), and in a pinch I've used Contadina but it's too salty, though the tomato flavor is really good.
by Anonymous | reply 118 | March 10, 2022 7:07 PM |
The Marcella Hazan sauce recipe above is my favorite. She adds a halved onion for the purpose of getting a little sugar to offset the acidity of the tomatoes (similar recipes add a carrot instead, for the same reason). I don't discard the onion at the end because it's easily chopped and added to scramble eggs or soup or anything else that's good with cooked onions. Sometimes I put half of the onion in the blender with the cooked sauce and puree the whole thing for a smoother version, maybe with some chopped garlic and torn basil too.
by Anonymous | reply 119 | March 10, 2022 7:31 PM |
I have used ketchup with pasta on occasions.
by Anonymous | reply 120 | March 10, 2022 8:06 PM |
I posted the pantry comment about paste. I think my mom would use ketchup and that if we were out of bottled! I think that was what it was for.
But you should have tried the fried chicken and biscuits. Damn, all of it.
by Anonymous | reply 121 | March 10, 2022 8:19 PM |
R113 the passata we make isn't. the jar/cans you buy are in the process I guess. I think you need both pureed tomato and paste together to make a good sauce - but whatever you find you like is what you should stick with.
by Anonymous | reply 122 | March 10, 2022 8:27 PM |
Eat local, eat macrobiotic, eat unprocessed.
by Anonymous | reply 123 | March 10, 2022 9:00 PM |
[quote]I have used ketchup with pasta on occasions.
*frantically pops xanax*
by Anonymous | reply 124 | March 10, 2022 10:03 PM |
I’m very happy to buy jarred sauce. I barely cook - ain’t no way I’m gonna spend time buying ingredients, cutting, combining, measuring, mixing, cooking.
by Anonymous | reply 125 | March 10, 2022 10:15 PM |
[quote]Eat local, eat macrobiotic, eat unprocessed.
Thanks, Gwineth!
by Anonymous | reply 126 | March 13, 2022 4:06 PM |
I take a small can of plain dices tomatoes and sauté them with some olive oil and fresh garlic. When the tomatoes are cooked down, I add a jar of Bertolli's marinara sauce, simmer for a few minutes and have the best tasting sauce, ever without spending a fortune
by Anonymous | reply 127 | March 13, 2022 4:18 PM |
I also jazz up canned sauce by heating up a little olive oil, cooking some garlic in it, blooming some Italian seasoning and red pepper flake in it, then adding canned tomato and the jarred spaghetti sauce.
I'm sure I've told this before but I said that in a thread once a few years ago and some weirdo who was angry and following me around the board said, "I'm sorry but that sounds disgusting!" and later said I was probably poisoning people with it.
by Anonymous | reply 128 | March 13, 2022 4:29 PM |
If I need a bit of sweet in my sauce I add a splash of basalmic vinegar.
by Anonymous | reply 129 | March 13, 2022 4:38 PM |
Had to laugh that the RAO's went up from $6.29 to $6.99 at my local target. I like it a lot but probably switch to something cheaper.
by Anonymous | reply 130 | March 13, 2022 4:44 PM |
Jeez, Rao's is $8.99 at my Hy-Vee.
by Anonymous | reply 131 | March 13, 2022 4:54 PM |
R128 if we don't "jazz it up" its just bland and tasteless and more suited for a school lunch..adding what we do makes it fast, easy and good if we dont have the time to simmer a pot all day long..
As for the crazy here stalking you over doctored tomato sauce..are we really surprised..... I'm not
by Anonymous | reply 132 | March 13, 2022 5:52 PM |
I'm always half-amused, half-worried by the folks who get triggered to the extent of R128's stalker by such an insignificant detail of someone's life.
by Anonymous | reply 133 | March 13, 2022 10:01 PM |
I feel like the taste of tomato sauce is strong enough to need to be "jazzed up", though adding something to lower the acidity makes it more palatable.
by Anonymous | reply 134 | March 13, 2022 10:58 PM |
HE'S POISONING PEOPLE!!
I'm literally shaking right now!
by Anonymous | reply 135 | March 14, 2022 12:31 AM |
R135 Off your meds again?
by Anonymous | reply 136 | March 14, 2022 12:32 AM |
I'd rather die alone than be with someone who needs tons of sugar in tomato sauce or every food they eat.
by Anonymous | reply 137 | April 11, 2022 11:17 AM |
BITCH IT'S TOMATO SAUCE NOT A FUCKING TIRAMISU! These cunts with their sugar caftans.
by Anonymous | reply 138 | April 11, 2022 11:18 AM |
What's up with this not being bold?
by Anonymous | reply 139 | April 11, 2022 11:29 AM |
I used to like Ragu years ago but tried it again recently and it tasted sour.
by Anonymous | reply 140 | April 11, 2022 11:34 AM |
I bought a jar of Prego creamy vodka sauce and a box of linguine in preparation for being snowed in by a blizzard, thinking it would be an easy meal to make. I added ground turkey, onions, and mushrooms to the sauce and was surprised at how good it was and now buy it regularly. I've tried Barilla's creamy vodka sauce too and don't think it's near as good.
by Anonymous | reply 141 | April 27, 2022 6:44 AM |
The smell of Ragu reminds me of childhood. I will still eat it sometimes, I just "doctor it up" a bit and add some spices to it.
by Anonymous | reply 142 | April 27, 2022 6:46 AM |
Easy Marinara from Sip and Feast
Offsite Linkby Anonymous | reply 143 | April 27, 2022 8:02 AM |
Italian Meat Sauce with Pork and Beef
Offsite Linkby Anonymous | reply 146 | April 27, 2022 8:04 AM |
The best jarred pasta sauce I ever had was Emeril's brand, vodka sauce. It was only stocked at the little grocery store where we spent the summer (west coast Canada) over 15 years ago, I've never seen it again before or after and not sure it exists anymore but it was good.
by Anonymous | reply 147 | April 27, 2022 8:17 AM |
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