Mostaccioli Sauce
You can use this sauce with meatballs or Italian sausage. I usually double or triple this for my family.
You can use this sauce with meatballs or Italian sausage. I usually double or triple this for my family.
- Carbohydrate 19.9090815277778 g
- Cholesterol 0 mg
- Fat 0.333185277777778 g
- Fiber 2.9595943961425 g
- Protein 2.76031041666667 g
- Saturated Fat 0.0779885138888889 g
- Serving Size 1 1 Serving (196g)
- Sodium 61.4525277777778 mg
- Sugar 16.9494871316353 g
- Trans Fat 0.0874973055555556 g
- Calories 83 calories
Step-by-step
- Bring ingredients to a boil then simmer 45 min to an hour.
- Add meatballs or sausage (my family likes hot) and simmer until thick.
- Spoon a little sauce into cooked mostaccioli noodles.
- Spoon more sauce over noodles and sausage when serving.
The Dilution Ratio Trap
Tomato paste requires precise hydration to transform from a thick concentrate into a balanced sauce. Six cans of water to two cans of paste sounds excessive initially, but this specific three-to-one ratio allows the starches in the paste to hydrate fully without scorching at the bottom of the pot. Cook the mixture over medium-low heat to maintain a gentle bubble rather than a violent boil, preventing the tomato solids from separating and burning against the pan surface.
Acid Reduction and Sugar Balance
Concentrated tomato products possess high levels of natural citric and malic acids that can taste harsh without intervention. Three tablespoons of sugar neutralize that sharp edge, but adding it at the very beginning ensures the sucrose molecules undergo mild inversion during the forty-five-minute simmer. This chemical breakdown softens the perceived acidity far more effectively than adding sweetener at the end of cooking.
Simmering for Viscosity
Texture relies entirely on water evaporation and pectin release over heat. Allowing the pot to simmer uncovered for at least forty-five minutes lets excess moisture escape, causing the pectin naturally present in the tomatoes to cross-link and thicken the liquid. If meat is added, do so midway through the process so the rendered fats emulsify into the reducing tomato base rather than pooling on top.
