Italian Food: A Beginner’s Guide to Making Sauce

Italian sauces carry the uniqueness that everyone admires. Whether you are familiar with Italian meals or not, their sauces complete the table. The good thing about them is that they have simple ingredients and anyone can prepare them. Are you a beginner and you want a guide to Italian sauces preparation? Check the following:

Pomarola

Pomarola is a traditional Tuscan sauce that is revered hitherto. The ingredients are simple. All you need is tomatoes, garlic, basil, salt, and olive oil. Here is the procedure for making Pomarola.

  •                     Cut the tomatoes into small pieces
  •                     Place the basil leaves and garlic in a pot and mix with the tomatoes.
  •                     Cook the mixture for a few minutes
  •                     Sieve the tomatoes to drain the excess water.
  •                     Add olive oil and salt to the drained mixture and cook for a few minutes till ready.

Usually, Pomarola sauce is prepared during summer and preserved until winter. It is in winter that is used with different types of pasta. Aside from Pomarola, there are other Italian pasta sauces you can try. They are easy to prepare. It doesn’t matter your cooking expertise.  

Agrodolce

Agrodolce is another sweet italian sauce to try. The name is derived from its sweet and sour taste. Agro means sweet, whereas dolce means sour. The mixture of tastes come from a combination of sugar and vinegar mixed together. Occasionally, you will find it mixed with fruit juice, onions, or chocolate. If you are a beginner, this is a simple you can make on your own. The ingredients include white wine, olive oil, vinegar, raisins, honey, and lemon. On some occasions, Agrodolce is served as a side dip, especially when served with cheese.  

Sugo di Carne  

Sugo di Carne is one of the Italian meat sauces you cannot wait to prepare. Its ingredients include Ground Pork or beef or both, Carrots, Onions, Garlic, Celery, Tomatoes, Black pepper, and Red wine. Here is the procedure:

  •                     Add onion, celery, garlic, and carrot in heated oil, and then cook while stirring.
  •                     Add ground pork or meat and cook until the raw look disappears.
  •                     Add wine, tomatoes, tomato paste, salt, and black pepper to the mixture. Boil uncovered for one hour.
  •                     Transfer the sauce into a saucepan and boil as you skim the fat on the surface.
  •                     Add broth and cook for another one hour.

You can pair sugo di carne with fettuccine, fregnacce, troccoli, rigatoni, etc.

Garum

Garum is a fermented fish sauce that has been in existence since Roman times. Initially, it was used by the Romans to add flavors to various dishes. They used to do this by mixing Garum, vinegar, oil, wine, or pepper. Additionally, Garum was used in place of salt. This is because it adds moisture to dishes, unlike salt that drains moisture. It is simple to prepare. Fill tubs with fish guts. Place the guts between layers of salt and herbs and then leave to ferment. Garum is the thick liquid you get after fermentation.