I received an e-mail question from forum member GreenBake asking about an "Italian Grandmother" tomato sauce recipe and how it would differ from the French version of "Sauce Tomat." I decided to post my response to the forum so the rest of the SCS community could get involved.
First a disclaimer; I don't really have an Italian Grandmother so it is quite possible that I have absolutely no idea what I'm talking about and no business actually answering this question (again, this is why I posted this response to the forum).
However, in my experience, an Italian tomato sauce is all about simplicity and freshness. There are very few ingredients with only one purpose, to make the tomato shine. But let us not forget; the true star of the show is the pasta which the tomato sauce is tossed with.
A basic method for an Italian style tomato sauce is as follows:
Get some good, ripe, plum tomatoes. The San Marzano grown in volcanic soil in Italy is preferred by many Italians, but if you live in the US, California grows some pretty awesome plum tomatoes as well (just don't tell you Italian Grandmother I said so).
You want to score, core, blanch and peel your tomatoes, removing the skin. Now some people will stop right here, passing the tomatoes through a food mill on the medium die, seasoning with a little salt, and use this "raw" tomato base to create a pasta sauce "a la minute." The real old school grandmas would crush these tomatoes by hand, which is why you should never give them any lip; between their gorilla grip and arsenal of wooden spoons....
Others will place the peeled tomatoes on the stove top, gently bring to a simmer over low heat and crush the tomatoes with a potato masher. Usually some form of extra virgin olive oil is added right at the end to enrich the sauce. Some complimentary flavors that may be added are basil, garlic and oregano. The basil and oregano are always fresh, and one is usually added to the exclusion of the other. When garlic is added, it is just a hint, usually one or two cloves gently smashed.
Others will infuse their extra virgin olive oil with garlic and their herb of choice, strain it off, and then use this infused oil to finish their tomato sauce.
When you're ready to serve, place a ladle full of your tomato sauce in a suate pan while you're boiling your pasta (preferably fresh) in a separate pot. Bring the sauce up to a simmer and add in cooked pasta with a small splash of pasta water (the starches will help bring your sauce together). Never strain pasta through a colander, rinse under water or dress with oil. All these steps will keep the light tomato sauce from clinging to your pasta.
You can also add a less traditional flare by building flavors in your sauce pan prior to adding in you tomato sauce, much like you would a traditional pan reduction sauce.
Ex) Saute a small amount of shallots and garlic in a hot saute pan. Deglaze with some white wine and reduce by half. Add your tomato sauce on top of this and bring to a simmer. Add your freshly cooked pasta on top of this with a splash of pasta water and toss until your pasta is evenly coated. At this point you can wilt in some fresh arugula for a peppery bite, and it's always a good idea to finish your pasta dish with some acid (I prefer simple lemon juice) and some good sea salt.
Some shaved pecorino will serve as a nice garnish but isn't necessary.
And now I open it up to you! How do you make your tomato sauce for pasta? Do you prefer light or heavy? What did your grandma teach you? (By the way, it was actually my Great Grandmother who was Portuguese that I have to thank for inspiring me to be a professional chef).