Making Classic Italian Sauces
Nothing speaks to the term sauces like Italian cooking. Italians use sauces in much of their cooking, from pasta to meat dishes. With Italian cooking, you may hear sauces called by a few different names. Salsa refers to meatless tomato sauces, while ragu describes a sauce that has one or two meats added. If you come from an Italian family, you likely also hear the term gravy in relation to any sauce. In this section, you get to sample a variety of sauce recipes sure to fill your kitchen with wonderful aromas.
Marinara
PREP TIME: 5 MIN | COOK TIME: 35 MIN | YIELD: 4 SERVINGS
INGREDIENTS
12 plum or Roma tomatoes
¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil
½ a small onion, minced
2 cloves garlic, minced
¼ cup celery, minced
¼ cup basil leaves, torn
2 tablespoons parsley, chopped
Salt to taste
DIRECTIONS
1 Bring 4 quarts of water to a boil. Blanch the tomatoes in the water for 1 minute and shock them to halt the cooking process. Remove the skins of the tomatoes and roughly chop.
2 In a large skillet, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the onion, garlic, and celery and sauté for 8 minutes. Add the tomatoes, basil, and parsley and simmer for 20 to 25 minutes. Season with salt and serve.
PER SERVING: Calories 169 (From Fat 125); Fat 14g (Saturated 2g); Cholesterol 0mg; Sodium 18mg; Carbohydrate 11g (Dietary Fiber 3g); Protein 2g.
NOTE: To prepare the tomatoes for blanching, cut a T in the bottom of each tomato to just pierce the skin. After blanching, shock the tomatoes by immediately placing them in ice water.
NOTE: Store sauce in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to a week or freeze for two to three months.
Meat Sauce
PREP TIME: 10 MIN | COOK TIME: 46 MIN | YIELD: 6 SERVINGS
INGREDIENTS
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
1 pound lean ground beef
½ teaspoon salt
1 large onion, chopped
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 teaspoon dried parsley, or 2 tablespoons fresh
2 teaspoons dried basil, crumbled, or ¼ cup fresh
2 teaspoons dried oregano, crumbled, or ¼ cup fresh
One 28-ounce can Italian diced tomatoes, drained
One 8-ounce can tomato sauce
1 teaspoon sugar
DIRECTIONS
1 Heat the oil in large, heavy skillet over medium-high heat. Add the ground beef and sprinkle with the salt. Cook the beef until brown, about 3 to 5 minutes, breaking it up with fork. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the beef to a plate.
2 Add the onions and garlic to the skillet and sauté until the onion is tender, about 5 minutes. Depending on how lean your beef is, you may need to add a teaspoon of oil to the pan. Stir in the parsley, basil, and oregano and cook 1 minute. Return the beef to the skillet and stir in the tomatoes, tomato sauce, and sugar. Reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer until the sauce is thick, about 45 minutes.
PER SERVING: Calories 232 (From Fat 125); Fat 14g (Saturated 5g); Cholesterol 51mg; Sodium 545mg; Carbohydrate 12g (Dietary Fiber 2g); Protein 16g.
TIP: Sugar is often added to sauces to decrease the bitterness of the tomatoes. You can eliminate the sugar by adding ½ cup of shredded carrots when you add the onions.
NOTE: Store sauce in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 3 to 5 days or freeze for up to a month.
Pizza Sauce
PREP TIME: 5 MIN | COOK TIME: 40 MIN | YIELD: 3–4 PIZZAS (4 CUPS, 16 SERVINGS)
INGREDIENTS
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 small onion, minced
3 cloves garlic, minced
One 28-ounce can diced tomatoes
2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
1 tablespoon sugar
1 tablespoon fresh thyme
¼ cup fresh parsley, chopped
½ teaspoon red pepper flakes, or to taste
Salt and pepper to taste
DIRECTIONS
1 In a large saucepan, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the onions and garlic and sauté for 5 minutes. Strain the diced tomatoes and add to the saucepan, and cook for 5 minutes.
2 Add the vinegar, sugar, thyme, parsley, and red pepper flakes and bring the mixture to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer for 25 minutes or until the sauce thickens. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
3 Blend the sauce with a blender, stick blender, or food processor until smooth. Cool slightly before adding to pizza dough.
PER SERVING: Calories 42 (From Fat 24); Fat 3g (Saturated 0g); Cholesterol 0mg; Sodium 73mg; Carbohydrate 5g (Dietary Fiber 1g); Protein 1g.
TIP: You can store this sauce in the refrigerator for 1 week or freeze it for 3 months to enjoy later. You’ll never buy store-bought sauce again.
Béchamel
PREP TIME: 5 MIN | COOK TIME: 12 MIN | YIELD: 8 SERVINGS
INGREDIENTS
¼ cup butter, cut into cubes
4 tablespoons flour
2 cups milk
¼ teaspoon paprika
⅛ teaspoon nutmeg
Salt and white pepper to taste
DIRECTIONS
1 Melt the butter in a heavy saucepan. Whisk in the flour and cook over low heat for 3 minutes. Raise the heat to medium and whisk in the milk.
2 Continue to whisk the sauce until it thickens, about 6 minutes. Add the paprika and nutmeg. Season with salt and pepper and serve.
PER SERVING: Calories 91 (From Fat 57); Fat 6g (Saturated 4g); Cholesterol 18mg; Sodium 28mg; Carbohydrate 6g (Dietary Fiber 0g); Protein 3g.
NOTE: Béchamel is a basic white sauce that serves as the base of most cheese sauces. You add your cheese(s) of choice before the salt and pepper; use whatever amounts suit your need and tastes.
TIP: Add more milk to create a thinner sauce.
NOTE: Store in the refrigerator in an airtight container for 3 to 5 days.
Pesto
PREP TIME: 10 MIN | YIELD: 8 SERVINGS
INGREDIENTS
5 cups basil
3 to 6 cloves garlic, crushed
¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes
½ cup pine nuts
1 cup grated Parmesan cheese
½ cup extra-virgin olive oil
Salt to taste
DIRECTIONS
1 In a food processor, pulse the basil, garlic, and red chili pepper flakes ten times. Add the pine nuts and cheese and blend for 1 minute.
2 Turn the food processor on and slowly drizzle in the olive oil, adding more if needed. Season with salt and serve.
PER SERVING: Calories 235 (From Fat 207); Fat 23g (Saturated 4g); Cholesterol 11mg; Sodium 192mg; Carbohydrate 2g (Dietary Fiber 1g); Protein 7g.
TIP: You can keep pesto in the refrigerator for a week; be sure to store with a top layer of olive oil. You can also freeze pesto for three months. Olive oil on the surface is not needed when freezing.
TIP: To preserve the bright green color of the basil in your pesto, drop the leaves in 4 quarts of boiling water for 20 seconds and then quickly strain them and place them into ice water. Drain and pat the leaves dry to remove excess water.
VARY IT! Replace half the basil with arugula and the pine nuts with walnuts.
VARY IT! Replace the basil with cilantro, the pine nuts with almonds, and the Parmesan with manchego cheese.
VARY IT! Replace half the basil with spinach and the pine nuts with walnuts or almonds.
NOTE: Check out the color insert for a photo of this recipe.
Gremolata
PREP TIME: 5 MIN | YIELD: ½ CUP (⅓ CUP); 4 SERVINGS
INGREDIENTS
1 teaspoon lemon zest (see Figure 9-1)
1 tablespoon lemon juice
¼ cup parsley, chopped
4 cloves garlic, chopped
¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil
DIRECTIONS
1 Combine all the ingredients in a small bowl.
PER SERVING: Calories 127 (From Fat 122); Fat 14g (Saturated 2g); Cholesterol 0mg; Sodium 3mg; Carbohydrate 2g (Dietary Fiber 0g); Protein 0g.
NOTE: Serve this sauce over pasta with pine nuts or use it with lamb, beef, or fish dishes for a punch of flavor. You can also add it to bean soups or stews.
NOTE: Store in the refrigerator in an airtight container for up to a week.
Creating the Mediterranean Standbys
You may associate sauces with Italian cooking, but many other regions along the Mediterranean also have some classics of their own. You’d be hard-pressed to find a Greek meal without yogurt sauce nearby. This section shows you some quintessential Greek, Moroccan, and Spanish sauces.
Chickpea Sauce
PREP TIME: 8 MIN | COOK TIME: 30 MIN | YIELD: 6 SERVINGS
INGREDIENTS
One 14.5-ounce can chickpeas, drained and rinsed
1 cup water
¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil
½ teaspoon red chili pepper flakes
2 cloves garlic
1 onion, chopped
2 tablespoon parsley, chopped
½ cup basil leaves, torn
1 bay leaf
One 14.5-ounce can diced tomatoes
Salt and pepper to taste
DIRECTIONS
1 Blend the chickpeas in a food processor for 1 minute. Add the water and blend until smooth.
2 In a heavy skillet, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the red chili pepper flakes and garlic and cook for 1 minute. Add the onion, parsley, basil, and bay leaf and cook for 8 minutes.
3 Add the chickpeas and tomatoes to the skillet and simmer for 20 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. If the sauce is too thick, stir in about ¼ cup hot water to thin it out. Remove the bay leaf and serve.
PER SERVING: Calories 192 (From Fat 89); Fat 10g (Saturated 1g); Cholesterol 0mg; Sodium 308mg; Carbohydrate 23g (Dietary Fiber 4g); Protein 4g.
TIP: This rustic sauce is excellent over any pasta. Just dust the dish with manchego or any hard, white cheese.
NOTE: Store in the refrigerator in an airtight container for up to a week.
Cucumber Yogurt Sauce
PREP TIME: 5 MIN | YIELD: 12 SERVINGS
INGREDIENTS
2 cups Greek yogurt
1 cucumber, peeled and seeded
Zest and juice of 1 lemon
¼ cup mint, minced
2 cloves garlic, minced
DIRECTIONS
1 Place the yogurt into a bowl. Grate the cucumber into the yogurt and stir. Season the yogurt mixture with the remaining ingredients. Store in the refrigerator until ready to serve.
PER SERVING: Calories 24 (From Fat 0); Fat 0g (Saturated 0g); Cholesterol 0mg; Sodium 18mg; Carbohydrate 2g (Dietary Fiber 0g); Protein 4g.
TIP: If you can’t find Greek yogurt, place a container of regular yogurt upside down in a coffee-filter- or cheesecloth-lined strainer and over a bowl. Store the setup in the refrigerator overnight until the yogurt thickens.
TIP: This sauce makes a great addition to any grilled meat or kabobs.
NOTE: Store in the refrigerator for up to a week.
Spanish Almond Sauce
PREP TIME: 25 MIN | COOK TIME: 8 MIN | YIELD: 10 SERVINGS
INGREDIENTS
1 red bell pepper, cut in half and seeded
1 cup almonds, dry-roasted
½ cup hazelnuts
2 cloves garlic
½ teaspoon red pepper flakes
½ cup extra-virgin olive oil
2 tablespoons sherry vinegar
¼ cup heavy cream
Salt to taste
DIRECTIONS
1 Preheat the broiler with the rack 5 inches from the heat. Place the bell pepper halves on a baking sheet, cut side down, and broil until the skin is bubbled and slightly blackened.
2 Place the roasted peppers in a paper bag or cover with a towel for 5 minutes until they’re cool to touch and the skins are easy to remove.
3 Blend the skinned peppers, almonds, hazelnuts, garlic, and red pepper flakes in a food processor for 1 minute. Whisk together the olive oil and vinegar.
4 Turn on the food processor and begin drizzling the vinegar mixture into the nut mixture. Continuing to blend, drizzle in the cream. Season with salt before serving.
PER SERVING: Calories 247 (From Fat 220); Fat 24g (Saturated 4g); Cholesterol 8mg; Sodium 50mg; Carbohydrate 5g (Dietary Fiber 3g); Protein 4g.
TIP: This sauce is great as a dip for vegetables or grilled shrimp or as a sauce over pasta or fish.
TIP: For a thinner sauce, add more cream or olive oil depending on your tastes.
NOTE: Freeze this sauce in an airtight container for up to a month. Store in the refrigerator for up to a week.
Making homemade Italian sauces
We focus on Mediterranean philosophies, so the portion sizes of sauce in this section reflect using pasta as a side dish. You can find most of the serving sizes to be around ½ cup to ⅔ cup per serving. If you want to include more sauce, we suggest doubling your sauce recipe accordingly.