Dominick Caporino's Italian Red Sauce
My father made the most delicious and satisfying Italian Red Sauce. It slowly cooked for hours. He usually added some sort of red meat which only enhances the intensity of its flavor.
My father made the most delicious and satisfying Italian Red Sauce. It slowly cooked for hours. He usually added some sort of red meat which only enhances the intensity of its flavor.
- 1 stalk celery chopped
- 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
- 1 6oz can tomato paste
- 1 medium onion chopped
- 1-2 cups red wine (i prefer merlot)
- 1-2 tablespoons dried basil
- 1-2 teaspoons dried oregano
- 1 28oz can tomato puree
- 28oz beef broth
- 1-2 tablespoons sugar
- 1 salt to taste
- 1 pepper to taste
- choice of meat **(see instructions)
- Carbohydrate 1.921135 g
- Cholesterol 0 mg
- Fat 1.10521 g
- Fiber 0.422750010331472 g
- Protein 0.249491666666667 g
- Saturated Fat 0.159099333333333 g
- Serving Size 1 1 Serving (26g)
- Sodium 6.0955 mg
- Sugar 1.49838498966853 g
- Trans Fat 0.0354009999999998 g
- Calories 18 calories
Step-by-step
- Add the chopped onion, celery into a large pot (dutch oven) and sauté the vegetable on a medium to low heat for approximately 10 minutes, until soft but not browned.
- Add the garlic & dried herbs and sauté for approximately 1-2 minutes (usually until you can smell the garlic cooking)
- Add the red wine and on a medium to high heat, reduce the wine until it is reduced into the vegetables. It may take approximately 5-10 minutes, but you want it fully reduced
- Add the tomato paste, dried herbs and cook at a low heat for about 5 minutes, continually stirring so the paste does not burn
- Then add the tomato puree, tomato sauce, beef broth, sugar and let it cook for about 5 minutes (you can add more sugar if you prefer a sweeter sauce)
- **At this time, you would add the meat you choose to cook in the sauce such as meatballs or roast (both slightly under cooked; I usually make my meatballs (slightly large) and bake them in the oven @ 350 degrees for approximately 10 minutes (about 1lb.) *Do not add the fat from the pan into the sauce. If you choose to do a roast (this recipe would be called ‘daube’), you would sear the whole roast meat in about 1 tablespoon of oil in the pot prior to sautéing the vegetables, for approximately 2-3 minutes on all sides, then remove the roast from the pot and begin with this recipe. The meat will be so tender & helps flavor the sauce, too.
- **If you choose to make it with 'chicken' (which is 'chicken cacciatore') then substitute the 'beef broth' to 'chicken broth'
- Bring the sauce to a boil then reduce & cover to low/simmer heat and cook for at least 3 hours…the longer, the better. (I usually start this recipe early, and usually cook it for 4-5 hours)
- Season with salt & pepper to taste..cook for a few more minutes.
- Cook your pasta according to the instructions on the box (about 1lb.) (you can serve it with a side of garlic french bread)
- The number of servings depends on you...usually 4-6 servings
- This makes a delicious Sunday dinner meal!
Swapping beef broth for water will yield a thin, watery liquid that fails to coat pasta strands properly. Stock supplies gelatin and body that water cannot replicate during a four-hour simmer. Use a heavy Dutch oven to distribute heat evenly across the base, preventing the tomato paste from scorching during the initial five-minute fry. Constant agitation with a wooden spoon keeps the solids moving away from the hottest spots of the pot bottom.
Searing meat directly in the vessel or par-baking meatballs at 350 degrees Fahrenheit for ten minutes prevents proteins from disintegrating into the liquid before the sauce thickens. Drain excess rendered fat completely before submerging the protein into the pot. Introducing raw or fatty meat adds unwanted grease that separates on the surface during the long cook time, leaving an oily film.
Reducing the red wine completely until dry concentrates the grape sugars and removes harsh alcohol notes before the canned tomatoes enter. Simmer the covered pot on the lowest possible burner setting for at least three hours to break down the natural fibers in the onion and celery. Stir periodically to ensure the bottom does not stick as the volume gradually drops.
Adapting this base for poultry requires switching the beef stock to chicken broth to maintain flavor balance. Adjust the seasoning with salt only during the final fifteen minutes after the liquid has concentrated and the flavors have fully married.
