This is a good recipe for starters. I am 100% italian and my family owns restuarants all over where I live. My homemade recipe is very similar to this, however I deleted the mushrooms, parmesan cheese, and the baking soda. I add a little more garlic then this recipe calls for and NO water. I also add oregano to mine. When cooking it is important to cook the onions and garlic in some olive oil first. This brings out the flavor. I also add the fresh parsley basil and oregano (chopped), and salt and pepper to that first and cook a few minutes. Then I add the whole tomatoes and the juice in the can, very important to take your hands to them and crush them a little. I let that come to a boil first before adding the sauce. After adding the sauce, I simmer and let it cook for 3 or 4 hours, stirring occasionally with the lid partially on. I also add additional seasoning as I taste and go along. What really turns the sauce unbelievably awesome is that I make meatballs seperately in a frying pan and once they are cooked I add them to the sauce during the last hour. WOW! gives the sauce such an awesome flavor.
This is the best spaghetti sauce. My first two wives were italian. There spaghetti sauce was good. This recipe is as good or better. I did make a couple changes. I deleted the mushrooms my present wife hates mushrooms, I would like to keep her. I did not use the Parmesan cheese either. I did add crushed red peppers, a little fresh parsley and I know that oregano never goes in spaghetti sauce but I did the unthinkable(just a little). We usually feed the dogs the left over spaghetti, not this time. The dogs want me to go back to Prego, They love spaghetti. Great recipe THANKS.
Was my first time to make homemade sauce - definitely a keeper! I added 1 tsp. dried basil 1 tsp. oregano and 2 bay leaves - really would have been too tomatoey without the extra spices. I cooked the sauce 6-8 hours and added my grandma's homemade meatballs to it the last 3 hours. Wow! Thanks for the recipe!
USE BROWN SUGAR INSTEAD OF WHITE COME ON
This recipe was AWESOME- UNTIL I added the cheese! It became sickeningly sweet and everyone was disappointed! I was sad that I put so much effort into this and everyone was commenting on how great it tasted and smelled during frequent taste tests but that 1/4 cup of Parmesan Cheese completely destroyed the taste! WARNING! This recipe is so huge that you will have a difficult time fitting it into a normal pot! Will feed at least 15 guests!
I used canned crushed tomatoes and added oregano and a few bay leaves. If you plan ahead this is a nice dish. A dutch oven works well for simmering too! The taste was nice although it didn't knock my socks off.
You would have to have 8 people with huge appetites for this to be 8 servings. This makes tons of really disgusting looking bland mushroomy tasting downright gross sauce!
I thought this was pretty good. Next time I will omit the tomato sauce and add a cup or so of extra water instead. This recipe makes quite a lot of sauce....enough for four dinners for my family of 6. It freezes well.
Didn't even get one compliment on Mother's Day for this sauce. OUCH!
