Pasta and Sauce Notes:

Sauces are often considered one of the greatest tests of a chef’s skill. The successful pairing of a sauce w/ a food demonstrates an understanding of the food and an ability to judge and evaluate a dish’s flavors, textures and colors.

“The Grand Sauces” or “Mother Sauces” called such because it can meet the following criteria:

1)Made in large batches

2)Flavored, finished and garnished in a great variety of ways producing hundreds of “small sauces”.

The Grand Sauces are:

  1. Demi-glace-Rich brown sauce mixed with beef stock and Madeira Wine or sherry
  2. Veloute-made from veal, chicken or fish stock and white or blond roux
  3. Bechamel-made from milk and white roux
  4. Tomato-see below
  5. Hollandaise- made from butter, lemon juice, egg yolks, and cayenne pepper

Tomato Sauce

Tomato Sauce was a relative latecomer to the society of grand sauces, since tomatoes had first to arrive in Europe from the New World. Once there they had to overcome the serious prejudice against tomatoes, many feared they were poisonous, still once assimilated (most likely at some point in the 19th century tomatoes became critical in not only this sauce but as a flavoring agent in other sauces).
It has a distinctive texture, less smooth than the other sauces.

Plum tomatoes sometime referred to as “Romas” are generally preferred for tomato sauces-since they have a relatively good ratio of flesh to skin and seeds.

Tomatoes are an acidic food so it is best to select a pot that is non-reactive such as stainless steel or anodized aluminum because of the high sugar content of tomato you need to establish even heat so the sauce won’t scorch.

Methods:

  1. Heat Oil, butter or ground salt pork in a pot over low heat. Then add some aromatic vegetables such as garlic and onion. The onions should become translucent, softened and moisture and aroma is released (this is letting the vegetables “sweat”).
  2. Add remaining ingredients and simmer. Add tomatoes along with any other stock, broth or veggie flavoring ingredients.
  3. Simmer until full flavor develops and strain if desired.

Cream Sauce

Different from a béchamel, because the cream ( Heavy Whipping cream actually thickens the sauce rather than flour.)

Methods:

  1. Sauté aromatics (mushrooms, garlic, onions, etc.)
  2. Simmer with stock, wine or other flavoring, reduce liquid by half.
  3. Add cream to thicken and let simmer
  4. Adjust seasoning, salt & white pepper and nutmeg is optional but just a pinch.
  5. Add cheese and toss or coat past and toss with cheese.

To Cook Pasta:

When cooking pasta use a large pan so the pasta shapes can move freely in the boiling water. As an approximate, allow 5 quarts water and 1 tbsp. Salt for 1 lb pasta. Adding a little oil to the water helps prevent the shapes sticking together during cooking process. Water should be boiling water rapidly.