Community Pick
My Mama Iuliucci's "Don't Skip a Step" Spaghetti Sauce
"My mom made this every Sunday for as long as I can remember. I recall coming home from wherever I was and smelling this incredible sauce! I would immediately reach for the Italian bread to start dipping before dinner. My mom always said it wasn't done yet, but I didn't care! My brother would go through a half a loaf of white bread with this sauce before dinner...it was that good. Try to make it exactly as it is written out...you will be pleasantly surprised and your house will smell heavenly! The little bit of extra work is worth it!!!"
photo by limeandspoontt
- Ready In:
- 3hrs 15mins
- Ingredients:
- 16
- Yields:
-
1 Large pot of sauce
ingredients
- 2 (28 ounce) cans crushed tomatoes
- 1 (28 ounce) can tomato puree
- 1 (6 ounce) can tomato paste
- 1 tablespoon sugar
- 1 1⁄2 teaspoons salt
- 1⁄2 teaspoon black pepper
- 1 teaspoon italian seasoning
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 tablespoon parsley
- 1⁄2 cup grated parmesan cheese or 1/2 cup romano cheese
- 2 onions, chopped
- 2 cloves garlic, chopped
- Italian sausage or home-made meatballs
- 1 -2 spareribs (optional)
- leftover cooked chicken thighs or chicken leg (optional)
- pepperoni (optional)
directions
- Combine tomato products in large stock pot or dutch oven.
- Add a 28 ounce can of water and stir.
- Bring to a boil and reduce to a simmer.
- Sprinkle with sugar, salt, pepper, Italian seasoning, garlic powder, parsley and grated cheese and stir to combine.
- In a frying pan, heat about 1/4" of vegetable oil and fry up your sausage or meatballs until cooked through.
- Add the meat to the simmering sauce, along with any optional meats (recommended) mentioned in ingredients.
- Now, this is an important, not to be left out, step: Add chopped onions and garlic to pan that meat was fried in.
- Do not drain anything before adding onions and garlic-- there should be some drippings/oil left in the pan!
- Fry onions and garlic until tender and aromatic.
- Remove pan from heat.
- Another important step, not to be left out: Add about 1/2 cup water to the pan and swish around, combining the leftover drippings and onion and garlic.
- Pour and scrape it all into the simmering sauce.
- Stir to combine.
- Let simmer for 3 hours or until desired consistency, stirring occasionally.
- I keep mine only half way covered, so it cooks down and gets thick and rich.
- Remove pepperoni, chicken and ribs if used.
- Remove meat from bones of chicken and ribs and add back to sauce in small shreds.
- Discard pepperoni, eat it, or chop it up and add it back to sauce.
- Serve over your favorite pasta and enjoy.
Questions & Replies
-
How many cups of sauce does this make? Thank you.
Reviews
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This is a great sauce recipe. I have made it three or four times, and I can't believe no one has rated it yet. It really goes together easily and fills the house with a wonderful aroma while it cooks! I used an end piece of pork loin that I browned first and then put into the pot. The only change that I made was to use 1/2 cup of red wine instead of water to deglaze the pan. Then that went into the pot, too. Thanks Karen - this is a real keeper. -
I made this recipe with the corresponding meatball recipe and it was great. My 14 month old son loved it too. I haven't made homemade sauce in ages, but I think it will be a regular on my menu now! -
I made this exactly as posted Except I used 32 oz.(1 quart of home canned tomatoes) This is an awesome sauce. I have cooked Italian sausage and meatballs in it, and then I froze the balance to see jow well it was after being frozen. It was just as good as it was when first made. This will definitely be our sauce of choice from now on. Thanks much for a definite keeper. -
I tripled this and made an enormous pot of sauce. I love my own sauce, but thought it would be good to try something new. I I followed this to the letter, added all the optional ingredients too. As a mum of four small children, all four little plates were clean, one even licked their plate! Perfect, don't change a thing. My only thing I recommend is making a double, triple or quadruple pot and freeze in bags for sauce on hand. If you are going to make such an effort - make lots!!!! Thanks Karen, it tastes like the sauce at my Italian restaurant.
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This sauce was amazing! I bought 2 rotisserie chicken thighs from the deli for this, and 2 raw spare ribs from the butcher. Don't skimp on those two "optional" ingredients!
see 175 more reviews
Tweaks
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I added red wine instead of sugar, doubled all spices and added red pepper flakes. -
Added sliced mushrooms to sautee with the onion and garlic. Also add a tablespoon each of basil and oregano. Can't imagine pasta sauce without those!
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Used this recipe 3 times now. Made a few small changes. Used 4 large cloves of garlic. Deglazed the pan with red wine instead of water. Added parsley and fresh basil 30 minutes before the sauce was finished. My brother, who lives in Boston's North End, wants me to bottle it! Thanks Karen! -
Ok, I like the basics of this sauce. Changed a few things as always:<br/>Used Tomato sauce instead of the crushed tomatos, added 1/2 t of oregano and Basil extra, ; added a 1/4 c sugar along with some red pepper flakes.<br/>Used rope smoke sausage<br/>Will leave it set over night to season....then bring on the noodles.<br/><br/>Greg -
There aren't enough stars on Zaar for this one! Great recipe, Karen (and Karen's mom)! Making this for the second time today. It got rave reviews the first time, served along with the accompanying meatball recipe. I just ran out of my leftovers from the freezer, so time to restock! Used another reviews idea and deglazed with red wine instead of water.
see 5 more tweaks
RECIPE SUBMITTED BY
Karen=^..^=
Sharon Hill, 0
<p>I live in Pa (outside of Philadelphia) and cooking, baking, cross-stitching and reading are my hobbies. <br /> <br />I collect cookbooks and cookie stamps/cutters and have a pretty big collection of both. I am also a fan of all things Amish, so I have quite a collection of things picked up in Reading, Lancaster and surrounding areas here in Pennsylvania. <br /> <br />I have 4 kids, who are the loves of my life and cooking for them and my husband keeps me on my toes! ;) <br /> <br />We bought an ice cream parlor in March 04 and it's been quite an experience! <br /> <br />Note: I love getting feedback on my recipes; all I ask is that you actually *make* them before reviewing them. <br /> <br />Also, if you make changes or substitutions, I'd love to see your suggestions and/or comments, but I'd appreciate no rating at all if it's not made as posted. Too many recipe reviews state margarine subbed for butter (if I list butter, it's REAL butter), different spices, low-fat ingredients, whole wheat flour instead of white, etc. The recipes will not work/taste as intended, so it's really not fair to rate them as such. <br /> <br />I'd also really appreciate it if you refrain from rating a recipe if you overcook or overbake it or it you don't refrigerate or store as listed. <br /> <br />I, of course, will adhere to the above when rating recipes, too! <br /> <br />Thanks and have a great day! <br /> <br />My Rating System: <br /> <br />***** A delicious recipe that was thoroughly enjoyed. It has excellent, detailed directions and is perfect as is. If a dish is especially easy, and I'm on the fence, I will give it 5* for ease even if it's very good instead of great. Something I will definitely make again. <br /> <br />**** Excellent recipe but confusing directions that I will make again in my own less confusing way OR Very good recipe that I'll probably make again if I find the time! <br /> <br />*** Good/OK recipe but probably not something I would make again OR Very Good recipe that doesn't have clear, detailed directions. <br /> <br />** Recipe was edible but not really enjoyed and will not be made again. Work involved not a good trade-off for the end result. <br /> <br />* Not edible and probably an error in the recipe. I feel that I pick recipes with ingredients our family likes, so in my opinion, there's an error somewhere. If there's a chance I made the error, I won't rate the recipe. ;) <br /> <br /><img src=http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y164/lauralie41/swapbanner.jpg border=0 alt=Photo Sharing and Video Hosting at Photobucket /> <br /> <br /><a href=http://s224.photobucket.com/albums/dd235/MidwestMaven/?action=view&current=cookieswapparticip.jpg target=_blank><img src=http://i224.photobucket.com/albums/dd235/MidwestMaven/cookieswapparticip.jpg border=0 alt=Photobucket /></a> <br /> <br /><img src=http://i23.photobucket.com/albums/b399/susied214/permanent%20collection/honey-pot-print-c10069558.jpg border=0 alt=Photobucket /> <br /> <br /><a href=http://s224.photobucket.com/albums/dd235/MidwestMaven/?action=view&current=09holidayparticipationbanner.jpg target=_blank><img src=http://i224.photobucket.com/albums/dd235/MidwestMaven/09holidayparticipationbanner.jpg border=0 alt=Photobucket /></a></p>
