Pasta sauces come in many forms and flavors, from light to rich, creamy to tangy, and everything in between. Before you add a sauce to your pasta, check out these tips for making foolproof sauces:
Figure about 1/2 cup of sauce per person.
Stir sauces often to prevent sticking.
A tablespoon of olive oil adds flavor and a rich texture to tomato-based sauces.
Sauces are a great place to hide puréed vegetables. The kids will never know!
For added sweetness, try a grated carrot instead of sugar.
To reduce the acidity (sauce is too tart or sour), stir in a small pinch of baking soda.
To jazz up a canned or jarred pasta sauce, add one or two of the following:
Sliced green or black olives
Sautéed chopped shallots
A drained can of tuna
1 cup of white beans
4 slices of cooked, crumbled bacon
Sliced smoked sausage
1/2 pound of small cooked shrimp
1/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
A drained can of mushroom pieces
A splash of red wine