Mama Palma’s Basic Red Sauce for Pasta

Basic red sauce for pasta that you can use as the base for so many kinds of pasta dishes.  Simple and incredibly delicious!

I’ve always loved Italian food. The problem is, that growing up as I did, I rarely got to eat it. My parents were both born and raised in the great state of Tennessee and didn’t eat much “Eye-talian” food. In my early twenties, I became friends with a girl whose mom made Italian food all the time. It was a whole new world for me. Every single dish she made was amazing. This was one of those moms who would say “Get in here and help and learn how to do this!” She didn’t have to tell me twice!

Fast forward a few years to when I married an Italian American from upstate New York. I wanted to make him the comfort food he was raised on and the food that I loved, so I started asking his mom for recipes, researching every Italian food cookbook I could find, and just experimenting a lot in the kitchen. Over the years, I’ve developed quite a collection of Italian dishes, but a huge number of them begin with a basic red sauce. You can make this really complicated, but don’t. It’s one of the simplest things ever and it’s really, really good. For different dishes, you can definitely add lots of wonderful things to it and make it fancy, but I’m telling you, just make this and toss it into some hot pasta and add some parmesan cheese and it’s heaven.

Here’s what you need:

 

 

 

 

 

 

1 28oz. can Hunt’s tomato sauce

1 can Pomi strained tomatoes (I use the strained ones because most of my family doesn’t like “chunky” sauce, but if you do, use the chopped tomatoes)

1 large clove minced garlic (you can substitute 1/2 t garlic powder, but fresh is best)  Let me pause here and say that I LOVE my garlic press. I use it pretty much every day.  It’s really easy to mince your own garlic if you have a press and it tastes so much better.  Click here to get your own if you want!

Fresh basil leaves, torn (chopping can bruise the basil).  Or, you can substitute 1 t dried basil.

2 T butter

1 T Extra Virgin Olive Oil

*If you want a little extra depth of flavor, add about 1/4 c of red wine.  I do this almost every time.  In my opinion, it really does give the sauce a little extra special flavor.

 

 

 

Now turn the heat to medium high.  Then as soon as it starts to bubble, turn it down to low and just let it simmer for about 30 minutes.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Now you’re ready to toss it in whatever kind of pasta you want, add cheese, and enjoy!