Spaghetti Sauce From Hell

[love2travel 396]

At the risk of Love fainting again...

I had some God Awful pasta sauce made mainly with V8 juice. 30 years later, I still shudder at the thought! (insert green barfy guy here).

Deep breath - I'm ok. Isn't it incredible what food associations and memories we have from long ago? Both good and bad.

[mushroom 1,209]

Oh yes!! The stuff I was told was spaghetti as a child, that muck that comes out of the can - used to get served on toast for breakfast in the morning The joy upon arrival in London where there was a trattoria just around the corner from where I was living and the pure joy of discovering pasta and tomato sauces not like your momma used to serve

[ciamarie 23]

First, I agree with earlier sentiments about using a couple of teaspoons of the herbs, not tablespoons!

This reminded me of a memory from long ago, when my father would travel he hired a baby-sitter of sorts for me and my brother. Long story short, we wondered why her spaghetti sauce tasted funny. One day while she was making some, I tasted it and it tasted fine. Then she said something about having to add cinnamon (which she did), and then it tasted funny. That was her 'secret' ingredient, which imho does NOT belong in spaghetti sauce.

[Adalaide 363]

At the risk of offending everyone else who has already posted recipes, I would love to have yours l2t. I mean, who here doesn't want your recipes for everything? Yeah yeah, I said I wanted easy but we all know that yours will be amazingly delicious and worth whatever effort it takes.

If I want pasta and there isn't a jar of sauce to be found in the house I'll find my garlic, flatten 8 or 10 cloves of garlic, give them a few seconds to start smelling good in a pan and throw in a can of fire roasted tomatoes and some basil. The fact that it's pretty much whole cloves of garlic and tomatoes keeps my husband far far far away. He's also like, garlic much? I'm like, well it was the rest of the bulb... I would have added more. He thinks I'm crazy.

[love2travel 396]

This is the real thing - bolognese sauce. My recipe is about two pages long to type so I looked for one that is quite similar. It is Mario Batali's version (with milk, IH!) and pancetta. It is also easier than my version. I make a big batch and freeze but you can easily half this. Some bolognese recipes use red wine, some white. I like white in this case but of course that is up to you. I also grate in some nutmeg (not already grated) for that elusive delicious flavour. Only a touch, though.

http://www.yummly.com/recipe/Ragu-Bolognese-Food-Network_2?servings=8

[love2travel 396]

At the risk of offending everyone else who has already posted recipes, I would love to have yours l2t. I mean, who here doesn't want your recipes for everything? Yeah yeah, I said I wanted easy but we all know that yours will be amazingly delicious and worth whatever effort it takes.

You're cute. The recipe I posted below is easy but if you want I can type out a more complex version!

[Adalaide 363]

Mario Batali

omg... he is a GOD in the kitchen. Pretty easy on the eyes too. I wonder if I can find a video of him making the sauce. You know, because I'm a visual learner.