Posted on 09/05/2024 5:45:17 PM PDT by ChicagoConservative27
Rao’s has been the goat for years in the store bought jarred marinara category. I’m not sure why these articles keep popping up? Of course now that Campbell’s Soup has bought them out never underestimate their ability to FXZK things up.
Having said that just buy Aldi’s store brand Marinara and save yourself $4 a jar. It is excellent and many believe it is Rao’s with a different label.
See post 34; and there are lots of other recipes on the Internet.
Most canned vegetables go from the farm directly to the processor. The trick is to find which brand uses the best quality vegetable. Safeway Signature product used to have very high quality, not sure lately. Kroger brand on the other hand seems lower quality. Their apple juice even comes from China.
You can give me yours. Yum. Tom Yum Gai!
My FIL and his brother grew about a half-acre every year, and made enough sauce (about 500 quarts) for the whole (big) family. They would freeze the tomatoes, too, as they came on; and then there was one big week when everyone in the family came together to Make the Sauce. It was quite a process, with the big squeezo and the gas-fired tanks, etc. (The squeezo was run by an old washing machine motor...)
I miss it.
I had some Aldi’s sauce at my daughter’s a few weeks ago.
https://www.simplyrecipes.com/aldi-specialty-selected-premium-marinara-review-8602611
Yes, what you said about Aldi’s.
My father wasn't Italian, but Dutch, and he made homemade sauce with sausage and homemade meatballs every Saturday. He cooked Perciatelli for himself, and the big Rigatoni for the rest of us. I make my own sauce too. Bottled sauce is for lazy people. Both Perciatelli and the big Rigatonis are very hard to find anymore, even in the special pasta sections featuring hand made pasta.
Yep, start your base with some San Marzano tomatoes and add what ya like, garlic, basil, chili peppers, etc. Nothings cheap anymore, the value is making large batches at a time and freezing for later.
“As a jar buyer, I’d love to get some real recipes from this thread. Is starting with canned tomatoes acceptable?”
I buy Aldi’s jarred Marinara as a base, but any brand of “not cheap” jarred will work. Then I more or doctor it up following Emeril Lagasse’s Bolognese recipe to finish it off. (he has a couple versions)
Tablespoons of olive oil, a strip or two of chopped up bacon, cook it down. Add 1/4 cup ea. minced onion, carrots, celery, 2 tablespoons of tomato paste. 1/4 to 1/3 pound ea. of Italian sausage and ground beef or Veal. 3/4 cup of red wine. Large can of tomato sauce. Cup of beef broth. 1/8th teaspoon of cinnamon. Tiny pinch of nutmeg. Salt, pepper, thyme. Two bay leafs. Slow simmer covered for 90 minutes. Finish with 1 tablespoon of butter and 1/4 cup of half / half or cream. May need a bit of sugar if a bit bitter Enjoy.
When I buy pasta sauce (rarely)...I make sure there is no sugar in it...most do.
I forgot to add this recipe is enough for three meals for a family of four. It freezes well. There are only two in our household and we get five spaghetti dinners out of it.
I prefer Victoria to Rao. It’s my #1.
Yes; I haven’t found a jarred one that I really like.
Yep, a Columbus family. They have a restaurant (or maybe two now). Used to be a grocery store/meat market from the way back days. I used to shop there religiously when I was a young mom in the late 80’s, early 90’s.
Then my kids went to HS with the grandkids. Great family.
Even though we don’t live in Cbus anymore, we are loyal to their brand. They were old school, and I mean 1920’s old school, until maybe 5-6 years ago.
The new market is bigger, but I wish the old location was still around. Unfortunately, crime has become a staple over there.
As I said though, great family, great food, great times. I am fortunate that I can find their sauces locally. However, sometimes I just have to get my “fix” when we go to Cbus. Gotta visit the new store and load up, not just on pasta. There’s so much that they offer. It’s all good stuff!
Rao’s may have sold out to Campbell’s. I hope the Carfagna family never does. Mom and Pops are big in my book.
I used canned pomodoro tomatoes with basil as a starter when I make from “scratch”. Imported from Italy if I can get my hands on it.
Do like the old Italian mamas do it. Let it cook for hours. You’ll love it.
Or San Marzano tomatoes.
I read the headline and then said RAO’S. It’s all we use.
REAL Italians know it is gravy ... not sauce ...
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