music-city-missy
Well-known member
I'm making a batch now (going to try my hand at a timpano later today) and I know there are a gazillion recipes for this out here but this is a nice one.
4 oz salt pork cubed fairly small
1/4 cup water
1 Tablespoon olive oil
1/4 cup finely chopped onion
2 medium or 1 large clove garlic
2 cans of San Marzano Italian plum tomatoes (here's where I get picky - I like the brand that really has no brand name - it's a white can with red plum tomatoes on it and a band running around the top and bottom that says whole plum tomatoes - they are perfect - not too sweet, good texture, juice is juice and not too thick)
6-8 fresh basil leaves chopped or torn into small pieces
about 1 Tablespoon fresh oregano
1/4-1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
Salt & pepper to taste
Add cubed salt pork to pan with water and cook over medium heat until water has evaporated and pork renders all it's fat - 10 to 15 minutes. Add olive oil and continue cooking about 5 minutes more.
Meanwhile chop onion. Split garlic cloves and remove the core (or germ, sprout, etc. - this will make the garlic much milder and reduce most people's problem with garlic in their food).
Remove salt pork pieces. Add onion and garlic. Saute on medium low heat for 10-15 minutes until onions are very translucent being careful to keep heat low and not brown them.
Drain the juice from the tomatoes into the pan. Squish the tomatoes until they are in fine little pieces and add to pan (you can chop or cut with scissors but this is so easy and I perfer the texture). Add all the spices except salt. Add the baking soda (helps cut the acid). Cook on low at least 2 hours or longer.
Adjust seasonings adding more red pepper flakes if you like it spicier or more basil or oregano if you like but don't add too much oregano to this simple basic sauce.
Do not add salt too early - you need to let the salt from the salt pork cook into the tomatoes at least an hour or so before starting to add salt and the longer you cook it, the more it's going to reduce so that is another reason not to add salt too early.
This is a great basic recipe. It's a great base - add meat for meatsauce, add vodka and cream for a vodka sauce, add olives, artichoke hearts, capers, mushrooms, etc. for a really nice pasta sauce. I make it in huge batches and freeze it.
4 oz salt pork cubed fairly small
1/4 cup water
1 Tablespoon olive oil
1/4 cup finely chopped onion
2 medium or 1 large clove garlic
2 cans of San Marzano Italian plum tomatoes (here's where I get picky - I like the brand that really has no brand name - it's a white can with red plum tomatoes on it and a band running around the top and bottom that says whole plum tomatoes - they are perfect - not too sweet, good texture, juice is juice and not too thick)
6-8 fresh basil leaves chopped or torn into small pieces
about 1 Tablespoon fresh oregano
1/4-1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
Salt & pepper to taste
Add cubed salt pork to pan with water and cook over medium heat until water has evaporated and pork renders all it's fat - 10 to 15 minutes. Add olive oil and continue cooking about 5 minutes more.
Meanwhile chop onion. Split garlic cloves and remove the core (or germ, sprout, etc. - this will make the garlic much milder and reduce most people's problem with garlic in their food).
Remove salt pork pieces. Add onion and garlic. Saute on medium low heat for 10-15 minutes until onions are very translucent being careful to keep heat low and not brown them.
Drain the juice from the tomatoes into the pan. Squish the tomatoes until they are in fine little pieces and add to pan (you can chop or cut with scissors but this is so easy and I perfer the texture). Add all the spices except salt. Add the baking soda (helps cut the acid). Cook on low at least 2 hours or longer.
Adjust seasonings adding more red pepper flakes if you like it spicier or more basil or oregano if you like but don't add too much oregano to this simple basic sauce.
Do not add salt too early - you need to let the salt from the salt pork cook into the tomatoes at least an hour or so before starting to add salt and the longer you cook it, the more it's going to reduce so that is another reason not to add salt too early.
This is a great basic recipe. It's a great base - add meat for meatsauce, add vodka and cream for a vodka sauce, add olives, artichoke hearts, capers, mushrooms, etc. for a really nice pasta sauce. I make it in huge batches and freeze it.