Need A Decent Tomato Sauce Recipe

[Wavefloater]

Surely, there must be hundreds, if not thousands, of tomato sauce recipes found using Google.

[Somtamnication]

Got volunteered to do a big pasta dinner and need a decent tomato sauce recipe. The last one I made was bitter and a disaster... For about 10 people.

Can anyone share a recipe done with Thai tomatoes? Different taste than the ones at home.

Thanks!

Having a hell of a time with thaivisa posting today. Sorry for double post and empty messages.

[Somtamnication]

Thai tomatoes taste different, hence the question. But thanks for the google idea. Never thought of it.

[AyG]

Any regular tomato sauce recipe will work. However:

(1) Make sure the fruits are as ripe as possible. (Buy them a few days before and let them ripen at room temperature.)

(2) Put them in boiling water for one minute or so until the skins burst, then peel and discard the skins. (The skins are bitter.) You may also want to consider discarding the seeds - that's the classical technique, but is rather wasteful.

(3) Add a little sugar (to taste) to make the sauce a little sweeter.

(4) Add a little tomato puree if the Thai tomatoes are lacking in taste.

(5) Consider adding a splash of wine vinegar at the end to brighten the flavour.

(6) Keeping back some tomatoes, chopping them, and adding them a minute before serving the sauce will also lift the sauce flavour.

[Wavefloater]

Thai tomatoes taste different, hence the question. But thanks for the google idea. Never thought of it.

I posted my Google suggestion before seeing your specific concern about using Thai tomatoes.

When I make a batch of Bolognese sauce here in Thailand, I use tinned tomatoes (3 cans of Brooks brand or similar) and a small can of tomato paste. The other main ingredients and spices I like are, Italian seasoning (mostly oregano and sweet basil), onions, green bell peppers, mushrooms (button, if possible) and about a kilo of lean browned beef. Salt, pepper, and a tiny bit of sugar is also added near the end.

[necronx99]

In a big pot;

2 litres of beefstock or 1.3 litre and i can of beer

large 500gm can of chopped tomatos

half a dozen fresh tomatoes roughly chopped

tablespoon of dried oregano

shitload of black pepper

3 bay leaves

handful of rough torn fresh basil (2 tblsp of dried if no fresh)

3 good glugs of dry red wine

250 gm of tomato paste

If for thais, good whack of cayanne or thai dried chilli powder

set to low simmer

In a pan fry;

6 chopped cloves of garlic (large chinese, not little thai, more if using the thai)

4 good sized chopped fresh chillies

tablespoon of rough cracked black and white peppercorns

Small amount of chopped ginger, maybe the size of your first thumb joint

Fry until colored and aromatic and add to the pot.

3 or 4 rough chopped onions, 1 chopped red capsicum, fry until caramelized and add to pot.

good handful or two of mushrooms, fine slice and fry to get some color and into the pot.

700gm of beef mince, 600 gm of port mince, 300gm of chicken mince, brown off in batches with a good crack of black pepper and just a pinch of salt for each batch and add to pot. Dont over cook.

Bring the pot to the boil while stirring, boil for 3 or 4 min then reduce to a medium simmer.

Stir frequently for 30 min then reduce to a low simmer, add 4 pieces of dark chocolate.

Wait 10 min while stirring

At this point you balance the sauce, add salt if required.

If too sour add some sugar, if too sweet add a bit more red wine. Alway a little at a time, stirring in for a few minutes before rechecking. You can always add more, you cant take out!

Add chilli if desired.

when the taste is right simmer for another hour or two depending on your desired consistency stirring occasionally.

If you need to reduce the liquid simmer with the lid off.

Watch it, as it can quickly reduce past what you want.

Taste test frequently.

half an hour before serving add a handful of fresh chopped parsley.

Bon appatit. Good pasta sauce is an art not a science.

[Ciocco]

Tomato sauce is the basic of italian cooking... ready in 5 minutes as well, and just a few ingredients.

For 10 people i suggest:

- 2 kg of fresh red tomatoes

- 2 or 3 garlic cloves

- fresh basil (not the thai one)-

- extra virgin olive oil, half a glass

- salt, pepper

Take out the skin dipping tomatoes for a minute in boiling water (a few per time, not all togheter).

Chop it in small cunes.

In a large pan make the oil warm and add the chopped garlic (also 1 clove could be enough if you prefer to stay light). Once golden add some fresh basil and immediately add the tomatoes cubes.

Make it boling with strong fire for a few minutes, adjust with salt and pepper (sugar if tomatoes are little acid, chili pepper if you like spicy, origan or similar at your choice).

Cook pasta "al dente" and put in large pan with the sauce, continue cooking for 1 or 2 minutes so that sauce season pasta as well as possible.

Serve with some fresh basil on top and a few drops of raw olive oil.

Buon appetito

[Somtamnication]

Thank you ALL for your suggestions. Necron, yours sounds way too complicated. lol

As it is for my Thai co workers, I cannot use beef. And with a Muslim, I must use chicken. Any changes to the recipe because of chicken?

Thanks again to everyone.

[Somtamnication]

And how much spaghetti for 10 people? I am at a total loss.I am talking about the package.

[notmyself]

And how much spaghetti for 10 people? I am at a total loss.I am talking about the package.

60-75g per person, 10g less if you are serving a starter such as cheese and French bread.

Don't be shy if using the Thai garlic as it doesn't pack much of a punch IMO. I would say 10-15 toes for the volume of sauce you are doing and roast them in a little olive oil with a sprinkle of salt first (after a light crush)

[seabear]

Thai tomatoes taste different, hence the question. But thanks for the google idea. Never thought of it.

google "Chow Ciao". Great site. Funny too, (me thinks )

[Wavefloater]

In a big pot;

2 litres of beefstock or 1.3 litre and i can of beer

large 500gm can of chopped tomatos

half a dozen fresh tomatoes roughly chopped

tablespoon of dried oregano

shitload of black pepper

3 bay leaves

handful of rough torn fresh basil (2 tblsp of dried if no fresh)

3 good glugs of dry red wine

250 gm of tomato paste

If for thais, good whack of cayanne or thai dried chilli powder

set to low simmer

In a pan fry;

6 chopped cloves of garlic (large chinese, not little thai, more if using the thai)

4 good sized chopped fresh chillies

tablespoon of rough cracked black and white peppercorns

Small amount of chopped ginger, maybe the size of your first thumb joint

Fry until colored and aromatic and add to the pot.

3 or 4 rough chopped onions, 1 chopped red capsicum, fry until caramelized and add to pot.

good handful or two of mushrooms, fine slice and fry to get some color and into the pot.

700gm of beef mince, 600 gm of port mince, 300gm of chicken mince, brown off in batches with a good crack of black pepper and just a pinch of salt for each batch and add to pot. Dont over cook.

Bring the pot to the boil while stirring, boil for 3 or 4 min then reduce to a medium simmer.

Stir frequently for 30 min then reduce to a low simmer, add 4 pieces of dark chocolate.

Wait 10 min while stirring

At this point you balance the sauce, add salt if required.

If too sour add some sugar, if too sweet add a bit more red wine. Alway a little at a time, stirring in for a few minutes before rechecking. You can always add more, you cant take out!

Add chilli if desired.

when the taste is right simmer for another hour or two depending on your desired consistency stirring occasionally.

If you need to reduce the liquid simmer with the lid off.

Watch it, as it can quickly reduce past what you want.

Taste test frequently.

half an hour before serving add a handful of fresh chopped parsley.

Bon appatit. Good pasta sauce is an art not a science.

Interesting recipe.

Reading it reminded me that I had forgotten absolute necessities like garlic ( I use a whole head - minced) onions and bay leaf when I quickly posted my recipe idea.

[Ciocco]

And how much spaghetti for 10 people? I am at a total loss.I am talking about the package.

IMO 100gr is a regular portion, spaghetti is the paste version who weight more...

If for myself i use at least 125/150gr but am big guy abd for thais could be enough also the 75 suggested

a small piece of butter before to serve is not too bad also... make everything more gentle...

[pauljones]

I make my sauce in 15 minutes & use imported, canned tomatoes.

The fresh ones are usually tasteless and not ripe enough.

Heat up some garlic and olive oil, add tomatoes (de-seed), bay leaf, salt, pepper, sugar(or grated carrot) to taste.

Sprinkle on some fresh black pepper, shredded basil, real Reggiano cheese, a drizzle of good olive oil & done.

Sometime I lay on some sautéed Italian sausage or mushrooms etc.

[Ciocco]

I make my sauce in 15 minutes & use imported, canned tomatoes.

The fresh ones are usually tasteless and not ripe enough.

Heat up some garlic and olive oil, add tomatoes (de-seed), bay leaf, salt, pepper, sugar(or grated carrot) to taste.

Sprinkle on some fresh black pepper, shredded basil, real Reggiano cheese, a drizzle of good olive oil & done.

Sometime I lay on some sautéed Italian sausage or mushrooms etc.

Mutti is one of the best italian canned tomatoes also in Italy, good choice!

[notmyself]

Well, I was speaking in context of the post, which specified eating in Bkk (assumed Asian food).

And I did qualify that with "depending on the application".

Obviously you can't make risotto or arancini with jasmine or basmati rice... and of course sticky rice is unto its own. Not sure about gumbo, never made it, but couldnt you just add jasmine rice later than you would normally with the American rice, thereby boiling it less so it doesnt break down?

No intention to offend.

Did notice your 'depending on the application' which may not seem much to some but is very true.

Gumbo is served over rice so you could use anything but Jambalaya has the rice cooked in the sauce, the rice absorbs the sauce rather than water or a thin stock which would be easier to handle. American long grain is somewhat robust in that it has a wider margin of error while Jasmine rice, and certainly Bismati rice does not. Reduce the margin of error (which is tricky) and it turns out OKish but given that you cannot know for certain just how much liquid the onions, bell peppers and celery will release you are playing with fire. If it's Creole style with tomatoes it gets even harder.

[bonobo]

I have to chime in with using canned tomatoes. I have used the local fresh ones, and if you add wine and sugar, that seems to work, but just going with the canned ones works great.

I go by taste with mine, adding as I think it needs a certain flavor, but I first use garlic and onion sauteed in olive oil, then the tomatoes, basil, oregano, fresh pepper, salt, kalmata olives, some red wine, balsamic vinegar, dried chili flakes, and a bay leaf. This is my Thai-friendly recipe.

For myself, I make more of a puttenesca with anchovies, capers, and artichoke hearts added in.

[bkkjames]

Imported Canned ones for me. Local tomatoes cant compare flavour wise. Pauls choice is a good one.

[biggunguy]

the tomatos from the "royal project" i actually find pretty good...

they taste and smell like tomatoes and are reasonably priced (as everything else from this brand, too)....

Edited August 9, 2012 by biggunguy

[MrRed]

Allthough the local Tomatoes are not great with the flavour you can cut them in half or slices and leave out in the sun with a little salt and sugar even honey sprinkled all over them even for 2 days

Then before adding water and boiling for the sauce lightly fry them with black pepper,garlic,any kind of onions and i always add Worctershire sauce(Thai brand) and mustard and a touch of Oyster sauce add water for consistency and leave to sit for an hour to cool down before liquidizing.

Always add salt sugar and pepper at the end to your taste,like most soups or sauces the next day they taste better.I always add a few mixed herbs or just a few Basil leafs and mint(fresh)if tehy are available.

Sun dried does bring out the flavour in local toms,try it!

[Somtamnication]

Interesting. Thanks.