Oma Sauce: The Next Generation
I’ve taken Oma’s spaghetti sauce recipe and made some modifications. The flavour is the same, if not bolder and the sauce is a bit thicker and adheres to the pasta better.
Picture of 2 brands of Pasta Di Pomodoro sold in various Ontario grocery chains (often on sale for $.99 per bottle, stock up then)
1 serving of spaghetti = 85g dry / 199g cooked (~310cals depending on brand)
Dinner at Oma’s: Next Generation
Servings: 8 servings
Calories: 281kcal
Ingredients
The Sauce
- 24-28 oz crushed tomatoes or a 690g bottle pasata di pomodoro
- 28 oz diced tomatoes strained
- 2 cubes chicken bouillon
- 2 tsp sugar only if not using original ragu or other sauce with pre-added sugar
- 1 tbsp italian seasoning
- 1 large onion diced large (1/2″ pieces)
- 1 1/2 lb ground pork pork is the cheapest meat in Ontario. That’s the only reason I switched.
- 1/2 cup pasta water
- pepper to taste
(optional) Spaghetti
- 6 large egg 2 whole, 4 yolk only
- 10 oz all purpose flour
- 1 tsp salt
Instructions
The Sauce
- in a large pot heat vegetable oil on medium. Add meat, season to taste with pepper and allow to brown fully, breaking it up and stirring occasionally. 8-10 minutes
- Add the onions and a bouillon cube, stir to combine and cover. Allow to simmer, covered on medium for 20 minutes.
- Add the diced tomatoes, 1 tsp sugar and second bouillon cube. Stir to combine, bring to a boil on high heat then reduce to medium low, cover and simmer for 20 minutes.
- Add the crushed tomatoes / pasata, 1 tsp sugar, the Italian seasoning. Stir to combine. Bring the sauce to a boil at high heat, reduce to medium low and simmer, covered for 20 minutes.
- Make pasta in liberally salted water, preserving 1/2 cup of the water when straining. Add the 1/2 cup pasta water to the sauce 1/4 cup at a time, stir to combine and continue to simmer uncovered for 20 – 25 minutes. The ideal consistency of the sauce is still thick and liquidy. The surface of the sauce should slowly return to level after stirring. When a spoon is dipped into the sauce, brought up then turned slowly sideways the sauce runs off slowly and some remains adhered to the spoon. During this time is also when you should taste the sauce frequently and adjust the seasoning as needed. The longer you simmer at this stage the less "saucy" the sauce will become, but also the flavours will intensify more, so turn off the heat when it you feel it's reached the right balance between those two for your preference. Or continue to simmer, adding more pasta water as needed.
The Pasta
- Pile the flour on a clean work surface and form a large well in the center
- Add the eggs to the well and whisk slowly folding the surrounding flour in until the eggs start to thicken enough that you can switch to kneading it all with your hands,
- Knead into a dough and then continue to knead for 5 minutes straight. Roll into a tight, smooth ball and wrap in plastic wrap. Allow to rest for 30 minutes.
- Cut the dough into 4 pieces. Take a piece and cover the rest in the plastic wrap. Press the piece out with the heel of your hand into an oblong shape.
- Run the dough through the pasta maker on the widest setting 3 times, switch to second widest and roll through another 3 times.
- Lay the dough flat on the counter and fold in the two long sides to form a rectangle. Press the dough down into itself firmly then run it through the pasta maker 3 more times at the second widest setting.
- run the dough through the pasta maker 3 times per setting until it’s your desired thickness. (Mine is 5th widest on my machine, pictured here).
- Run the dough through the cutter attachment, when it’s about 3/4 of the way through the cutter hold then cut end in your hand as you run the rest through, then straighten the noodles out and cut them in half.
- Boil the noodles for 3-4 minutes (less if thinner, more if thicker)
Nutrition
Serving: 4oz | Calories: 281kcal | Carbohydrates: 13g | Protein: 17g | Fat: 18g | Saturated Fat: 7g | Cholesterol: 61mg | Sodium: 172mg | Potassium: 715mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 8g | Vitamin A: 316IU | Vitamin C: 19mg | Calcium: 86mg | Iron: 3mg