My New Favourite Pasta Sauce

[Iron Woode]

A company by the name of FiorFiore showed up at my Walmart with a selection of 3 pasta sauces: Arrabbiata , Tomato and Basil and Tomato and Ricotta.

https://fiorfiore-italianfood.com/

I tried the Arrabbiata and the Tomato and Ricotta. Both are very good sauces. In fact they are the only sauces I have tried that don't upset my stomach.

I made some spaghetti and meatballs using the ricotta sauce in my Instant Pot. It was awesome.

 

[Staples]

Classico Parmaganio and Ramono is my favorite

 

[OccamsToothbrush]

When you want quality Italian food there's nothing better than a Canadian brand sold only at Walmart.

 

[DigDog]

*cries in italian*

 

[DigDog]

SO.

Arrabbiata is, like, the most basic sauce that EVERY italian knows how to make. Students eat it 7 times a week. It's what you cook when you don't cook.

HOW. TO. ARRABBIATA.

1. tomato (chopped, peeled, or even puree)
2. 2/3 small, dried bird's eye (not the thai long ones, but the inch-long tiny ones)
3. 2 cloves of garlic
4. a bit more oil than you'd normally use

fry garlic and chili in oil for a minute or two. add tomato sauce. cook for 5 minutes. boil spaghetti, add sauce.



And, you're american, so, do you want to add some out of place stuff, like oregano? OK. Add it. I dont care. (i do)
want to throw onions in there, shallots, curry paste, parmesan, mayonnaise? DO IT. I STILL DONT CARE.
But buying a premade sauce.... that's not right.

 

[WelshBloke]

Best pasta sauce.

Finely slice a couple of cloves of garlic and a dried red chilli. Fry in a good splash of olive oil. Add one skinned seeded plum tomato. Cook until tomato breaks down. Add a large glass of dry white wine. Cook off alcohol. Add a couple of tins of small clams and juice. Reduce slightly. Add more olive oil.

Serve with spaghetti.

 

[DigDog]

PSA: Spanish (or Greek) olive oil is absolutely fine.

They are just olives. There's nothing special about italian olives.

 

[snoopy7548]

Ketchup tastes just fine.

 

[zinfamous]

SO.

Arrabbiata is, like, the most basic sauce that EVERY italian knows how to make. Students eat it 7 times a week. It's what you cook when you don't cook.

HOW. TO. ARRABBIATA.

1. tomato (chopped, peeled, or even puree)
2. 2/3 small, dried bird's eye (not the thai long ones, but the inch-long tiny ones)
3. 2 cloves of garlic
4. a bit more oil than you'd normally use

fry garlic and chili in oil for a minute or two. add tomato sauce. cook for 5 minutes. boil spaghetti, add sauce.



And, you're american, so, do you want to add some out of place stuff, like oregano? OK. Add it. I dont care. (i do)
want to throw onions in there, shallots, curry paste, parmesan, mayonnaise? DO IT. I STILL DONT CARE.
But buying a premade sauce.... that's not right.

you forgot the first step where you render the pancetta fat, remove pancetta rampons, cook down the celery/carrot/shallot/hot peppers mirpoix in the fat + oil + butter, then add the pinot grigio to cover, reduce, then the pancetta goes back in...then the tomatoes!

and I use thyme instead of oregano or basil.

 

[DigDog]

Yeah but that's pretentious.

I dont know what US tv looks like tehse days, but in the Uk they have a number of celebrity chefs, some of which are good, some of which are not.

Specifically, we got:
1. Gordon Ramsay - who everyone knows because of his shouting, who is actually a really talented chef and, he's take a piece of good meat, put some magic to it, and make you a proper meal. Something good that, you can't really put together with the cheap Walmart subbrands, but with a little more money you can cook something to be proud of. And then, we got

2. Jamie Oliver - who will burn through $50 just to make a plate of pork & beans. Start with these organic rustic borlotti from a posh tuscanian farm, $20/bottle oil, sausage form heritage pigs reared on imported acorns, deglaze with a $20/bottle of wine, add aromatized clarified seasonal butter, roast your own black pepper, I CAN GO ON.
And winds up making something which is no better than what i can do with $3 and actually having some skill.


Arrabiata is a sauce which is very dear to me and to most italians, because it's just chili tomato. It's comfortingly simple.
If you got money for pancetta, guanciale, ANY_BACON, you'll probably make Amatriciana or Carbonara instead.


Is an arrabbiata sauce with baocn better than an arrabbiata without? probably yes.

 

[zinfamous]

Yeah but that's pretentious.

I dont know what US tv looks like tehse days, but in the Uk they have a number of celebrity chefs, some of which are good, some of which are not.

Specifically, we got:
1. Gordon Ramsay - who everyone knows because of his shouting, who is actually a really talented chef and, he's take a piece of good meat, put some magic to it, and make you a proper meal. Something good that, you can't really put together with the cheap Walmart subbrands, but with a little more money you can cook something to be proud of. And then, we got

2. Jamie Oliver - who will burn through $50 just to make a plate of pork & beans. Start with these organic rustic borlotti from a posh tuscanian farm, $20/bottle oil, sausage form heritage pigs reared on imported acorns, deglaze with a $20/bottle of wine, add aromatized clarified seasonal butter, roast your own black pepper, I CAN GO ON.
And winds up making something which is no better than what i can do with $3 and actually having some skill.


Arrabiata is a sauce which is very dear to me and to most italians, because it's just chili tomato. It's comfortingly simple.
If you got money for pancetta, guanciale, ANY_BACON, you'll probably make Amatriciana or Carbonara instead.


Is an arrabbiata sauce with baocn better than an arrabbiata without? probably yes.

yeah, but that's typically how I found it in various restaurants that I frequented over in that place over there....not always, of course. Often as you said, as a simple tomato sauce. However, one time when I was in Riomaggiore, their arrabiata was basically just heavy olive oil with fresh chilis, and fresh, quartered pearl tomatoes. It was pretty awesome, actually.

 

[DigDog]

their arrabiata was basically just heavy olive oil with fresh chilis, and fresh, quartered pearl tomatoes. It was pretty awesome, actually.

the truth is that arrabbiata is actually really nice. If you like fried tomatoes, THAT is the taste it goes for.

In order to make a good arrabbiata that any roman will be proud of, you need a pan that's big enough for the amount of tomato you'll use. Too much tomato and it will not come out right, you want a thin layer of sauce in the pan.

Fry the garlic and chili a little, even just a couple minutes, and add the tomato. You will need enough oil so that there is a clear ring of oil around the sauce at the edges of the pan. In this area, the sugars of the tomato will caramelize. Keep a brisk flame on, and only stir at specific intervals, which you should be able to deduce if you keep looking at the edges of the sauce.

This will convert a whole bunch of your tomato into MSG-like stuff and you'll have yummy, tomatoey, super-tasty sauce in 20 minutes tops. You do not need the whole tomato sauce to caramelize, and in fact you would dry it if you tried. You'll soon recognize the small "bubble wells" in the sauce that make the sauce turn magic - little bubbling spots that stay in place, where the moisture escapes and the oil fries the tomato. Actually, it's ok to have some of the tomato still taste fresh, and some taste fried.

 

[sandorski]

Chef Boyardee>>>>>this weak sauce>>>>>>"real"Italian sauce.....

 

[nakedfrog]

Chef Boyardee>>>>>this weak sauce>>>>>>"real"Italian sauce.....

What about the ambrosia that is Ragu?

 

[sandorski]

What about the ambrosia that is Ragu?

....back of the line!

 

[nakedfrog]

....back of the line!

Have you no decency?!?

 

[Dr. Detroit]

Rao's hands down is the best jarred pasta sauce but at $8-$10/jar its a bit price. Ingredients are far superior as they use whole tomatoes and not "tomato sauce" nor any "sugar".

Ingredients: Italian whole peeled tomatoes, olive oil, fresh onions, salt, fresh garlic, fresh basil, black pepper, dried oregano

 

[MagnusTheBrewer]

There is no easy button in the kitchen.

 

[sandorski]

Have you no decency?!?

Do I need to call the Cops?....

 

[Iron Woode]

I have made my own sauces many times but all tomato sauces upset my tummy.

This stuff I bought at Walmart actually tastes great, doesn't upset my tummy and is reasonably priced.

Making my life easier at this point is a good thing.

 

[JEDIYoda]

PSA: Spanish (or Greek) olive oil is absolutely fine.

They are just olives. There's nothing special about italian olives.

what????? Noooooooo!!!

 

[sdifox]

I have made my own sauces many times but all tomato sauces upset my tummy.

This stuff I bought at Walmart actually tastes great, doesn't upset my tummy and is reasonably priced.

Making my life easier at this point is a good thing.

Ever try Catelli Garden Selection?

 

[Iron Woode]

Ever try Catelli Garden Selection?

yes. same issues.

 

[Captante]

Although it may be difficult to accept for some, there actually ARE some decent jarred brands of sauce these days, although most of them sell for like $8 a jar regular price which is nuts.

My favorite is Rao's, closely followed by Victoria (this one goes on sale all the time) and a newish brand called Mezzetta.

Of course if I have the time my own home-made IS a lot better but its nice to at least have acceptable options that can be ready quick. I just can't stomach crap like Prego or Ragu, always seems to taste bitter.

doesn't upset my tummy

Do they all have dairy in them? Usually its the acid in tomatoes that causes stomach problems and cheese/cream etc will cut the levels quite a bit.

 

[lxskllr]

I like the cheap Hunts and DelMonte sauces from the dollar store. Not too much sugar. I always forget which canned sauces I like from the regular store. Pretty sure Prego is too sweet. I think I like Classico, but I might just be misremembering. I just go to the dollar store, get what I like, and save a couple bucks.