When I left home, I had a handful of recipes under my belt. Cooking is a life long journey and one has to start somewhere. A veggie pasta sauce was a staple - a can of tomatoes, a heap of veggies, tomatoes - voila! A cheap and easy meal. I think my first live in, long term boyfriend and I would cook it twice a week at least. Over the years, I picked up a trick or two to develop this recipe into something that tasted less like a can of tomatoes and veggies, and something a little more moreish. When my son left home, he too had a tomato pasta sauce recipe under his belt - but one that would blow his housemates away. Mind you, most of them struggled to boil the water for pasta, let only juggle ingredients and experiment with flavours.
To cook a tasty sauce, one needs to layer the flavours. It really isn't about throwing it all together and hoping for the best, though you can have success with that too with this kind of vegetarian pasta.
The Base
First, release the flavour beasts. Heat olive oil and fry an onion (Spanish red onion is nice) and garlic, or shallots for a minute or two. Then, you can add (and this is optional) one tbsp of Spanish smoke paprika and a pinch of chilli and fry for a minute. Add your can of tomatoes and bring to slow simmer.
The Secret Ingredients
Here is where the flavour starts to get a little more complex. I adapt to what I have in the cupboard, but here are a few things I will add. You don't have to add them all - nor will I. For example, if I have ajvar I won't add pesto and vice verse. Taste and experiment as you go.
- A splash of red wine or sherry vinegar. More wine, less of vinegar. This can take away the sweetness of tomatoes whilst giving a sharp robustness to the sauce.
- A spoonful of RED pesto - not green. Green comes from fresh herbs. I have a vegan pesto I make from roasted peppers, olive oil, garlic and nuts and/or seeds.
- A spoonful of ajvar, a paste made from roasted eggplant and peppers.
- A splash of maple syrup
- Roast peppers, blended to paste.
- Choose ONE herb to feature and ONLY fresh. Dried is too strong, and takes away from the other flavours. Thyme and oregano are perfect. Fresh basil is divine but only add in last minute, when you toss the pasta through.
- Never, ever add water. You will have enough liquid. Put the lid on so as to stop any evaporating.
The Tomatoes
I suggested a can at start, BUT fresh is great too. I like to add a few forms of tomatoes - A handful of yellow cherries, halved, a handful of sundries tomatoes, a spoonful of tomato paste. This way you add different dimensions of tomato-ness.
Veggies
This is up to you. It depends on what you have. In my opinion NEVER root veggies, as they take too long to cook in the sauce, although left over roast pumpkin tossed in during the final few minutes is insanely delicious and can add a craziness to the sauce.
Any kind of leafy greens - kale, spinach, silverbeet - are delicious. Thinly sliced zucchini is perfect, or broccoli. The trick is to not dissolve it but still have a bite in it.
I loathe soggy mushrooms in pasta, but I might super finely chop a big field mushroom OR fry it separately with smoked salt, smoked paprika and fresh thyme to lay over the top.
The Pasta
Cook your pasta or gnocchi til just before al dente and add to sauce for last minute. This is a special trick that sees the sauce flavours permeate the pasta.
Crack black pepper liberally over the top, and salt to your liking. Voila - a tomato pasta sauce that's a little less ordinary.
What's your favourite pasta sauce recipe?
Do you have tricks to pizzazz a boring tomato pasta?
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