If I am making a meat sauce, I start with some pork...like a chop or a small pork steak brown it in a little olive oil a Dutch oven, as its browning I chop a good big onion, or 2 smaller ones and a green pepper, Add the veggies to the pot along with 3 to 5 cloves of garlic, depending on how big the cloves are. When the onion has softened, add: 3 24 oz cans of good whole Italian plum tomatoes and 3 6 oz cans of Contadina tomato paste ( other brands are bitter!) Fill one of the tomato paste cans with a dry red wine and add to the pot, and fill the other 2 cans with water and add that to the pot. Add: A handful of fresh basil....about 1/4 cup chopped, and A handful of flat leaf parsley about 1/4 cup chopped, and 2 T fresh oregano leaves....and Fresh ground pepper, about 3/4 of a teaspoon....about 6 grinds of my Greek mill. And" 1/4 cup grated parmesan cheese. For this it really isn't necessary to use the "good stuff" because what you want from the cheese is the buffering the acidity of the tomatoes. Add the good stuff to each plate as you serve it. while the sauce is simmering...VERY slowly... make meatballs to put into it....I bake the meatballs and add them to the sauce pot, and simmer another hour. I also make a simple pomo d'oro sauce using fresh tomatoes. I sautee a big onion and half a green pepper in a couple of tablespoons of olive oil, add a couple of cloves of chopped garlic and about 2 quarts of peeled and cut up fresh tomatoes, a small handful of fresh basil and another of chopped parsley.....cook at a fairly fast boil until thick enough for you about 20 minutes. I use a big fry pan for this....salt to taste....it will take a fair amount as you have not used any canned products nor cheese. Linda C

blueiris24: Here is another recipe that doesn't have tomatoe chunks. I used it in my Pizzeria. Pizza Sauce and Spaghetti Sauce ( Gravy ) You can use canned tomatoes but make sure they are Italian or a deep red color. Some choices are Contadina , Red Pack , HuntÂs , All Red, = Tutto Rosso, Chento Pizza Sauce 1 Large can of Tomato Puree and Crushed Tomatoes I use Powdered Spices now, and get the same results ADD: 1 level teaspoon Garlic pwd. (add more later to taste) 1 tablespn. of onion powder. 1 teasp. Salt. 3 teasp. Sugar ( add more if it tastes too acidy ). An Italian pinch of pwd.cloves. 3/4 teasp. Oregano ( or to taste ) it is strong. 1 teaspoon of Parsley, 1/2 teasp. basil. 1/4 teasp. black pepper. ½ teaspoon + of ( Chicken flavored Soup Base ) Large handful of Parmasan Cheese, when done , after 1/2 hour. Continue for Spaghetti Sauce This recipe can be used for Spagetti Sauce ( maybe you would want to cut down on the Oregano ) also just add a can of Tomatoe Paste and water to thin a little , if it is too thick it will burn easily. It will thicken as it cooks. ½ cup of fine chopped Onion. And 3 bay leaves . Don't forget the Chicken flavored Soup Base. Add uncooked Meatballs, Sausage and Chicken Thighs, when you start cooking. (cook at least 1 ½ to 2 hours ) Take the chicken out when it is done. ( About 1 hour ) Add the Parmasan Cheese after the sauce is cooked & stir ALSO !!! season to your own taste. Add more or less of what you like. Ciao: LOU Any questions ? Send me an email.

I don't like either. (shrug) If I'm going to have anything that resembles pizza, I want slices of fresh tomato, none of that sauce. If I have pasta, I want hot pasta tossed with chunks of fresh tomato and herbs and good fresh parmesan shaved on top. Oh, and the pasta needs to be something besides white, I prefer whole wheat or herbed homemade pasta. I did make a passable basil pasta, so I might do that again. I'm not really wild about ground meat either, the texture puts me off, so that takes care of the meatball issue. I do eat them, occasionally, but like meatloaf or cheeseburgers, I'm really apathetic about them. My girls love the Rocco's Mama's Meatballs that got posted here a couple of years ago, I make hundreds of those every fall when the beef is slaughtered and they go into the freezer, "fast food" on crazy busy days. Of course, most of them go into Amanda's freezer, LOL. They don't get either sauce, both my girls like Prego, as do the grandkids. Go figure, they don't like the homemade stuff at all, heathens, I think it's the corn syrup that they actually like... Annie

I make plain tomato sauce from garden tomatoes, then use that to make spaghetti sauce, chili, whatever. We freeze ours now, but I used to "bottle it". I use whatever tomatoes are ready, about enough to fill a stock pot or roaster at one time. This would be a mix of determinate and indeterminate, sauce, beefsteak, heirloom, whatever i have. My containers hold about as much as the size can I normally would use, I suggest you do the same. Smaller batches of sauce more often feel like less work for me. Tomato sauce Wash and core the tomatoes. Cut them in half across the middle and squeeze the seeds into a sieve over a bowl. Roughly tear or chop the tomatoes and toss into a pot. Use a spoon to stir the seeds to get some of that jell and juice, since that is where a lot of the flavour is. We want that but not the bitter seeds! Pour this strained liquid over the tomatoes in the pot. Bring to a simmer over lo-medium heat, being careful not to scorch. If you are going to make sauce, stir often and to your hearts content, it doesn't matter if they break up. We do not add salt, but we often add a single hot pepper to each batch. Not enough to make it hot, but enough to add a zing. When the tomatoes are cooked and soft, run through the blender (skin and all) until smooth. The skins will disappear, and will help thicken the sauce later. Return the smooth puree to the pot. Bring back to a simmer, and allow to simmer stirring often to keep it from scorching until it reduces and thickens. Ladle into freezer containers, chill in fridge over night, then freeze. Use in place of tomato sauce in any recipe. Cooked tomatoes in juice Wash and core tomatoes. Drop into a pot of boiling water (carefully) and allow to bob around for a few minutes. Scoop out tomatoes and drop into another bowl or container filled with cold water. You should be able to slip the skins right off. If not, either let them bob in the hot water longer, or add ice cubes to your "shock water" to make it colder, or both. Cut tomatoes in half around the middle and squeeze out the seeds into a sieve over a bowl. Stir the seeds to release as much juice as possible. Cut the tomatoes into even sized chunks, or even leave as halves (your preference) and place in a clean stock pot. Bring to a simmer on low-ish heat, making sure not to scorch the tomatoes. Stir gently, so as not to break them up too much. You want tomato chunks in a sort of clear tomato water. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the tomatoes are cooked and soft but still hold their shape. Allow to cool, then lade into freezer containers, chill in the fridge, then freeze. Spaghetti sauce from frozen tomato sauce -1 container frozen sauce, defrosted (we use the microwave, about four minutes on high does it) -1 package extra lean ground beef -1 can mushrooms or 2 cups sliced raw mushrooms -1/4 cup red or white wine -garlic powder (1 tsp) -onion powder (1 tbsp) -salt and pepper to taste -pinch red pepper flakes -italian seasoning blend (1 tsp, bruise between your fingers to awaken flavours) Brown the ground beef until no pink remains. Sprinkle the garlic and onion powder, italian seasoning, salt and pepper over the meat. Cook and stir for a bit to toast the spices. Add drained canned or raw mushrooms. Add the wine to deglaze the pan. Cook and stir until the wine evaporates and the mushrooms are limp (if using fresh). Pour in the tomato sauce. Stir well. Taste and adjust seasonings. Simmer for a few minutes to blend flavours. The longer you simmer the better, but you can eat it right away. Excellent when chilled then reheated the next day. *Note: If I made it my way, I would also add one chopped onion and some diced green pepper, maybe even some diced eggplant or sliced black olives to the above sauce. My family hates veggies, and it is pushing it with the tomatoes alone. Pity.