Know Your Pasta Sauce

Although born into Italian descent and traditionally functioning as a flavor carrier for pasta dishes, pasta sauce has broadened its horizons to meet myriad tastes, foods and pasta shapes. Cooks are serving the sauces over foods other than pasta such as couscous, fish, turkey meatloaf and lamb. Classic sauces such as tomato basil and spicy arrabbiata are still popular, but flavors like olive and caper, leek and sun dried tomato, as well as artichoke fennel with Chardonnay, are grabbing attention. Some sauces contain innovative ingredients from other ethnic cuisines, such as traditional Moroccan spices including cilantro, cumin and cinnamon.

 

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Here is a list of some classic pasta sauces that can enhance any dish.

(And don't forget about all the vegetable variations, with eggplant, fennel, asparagus and more.)

MARINARA: A highly seasoned tomato-based sauce made with onions, garlic and/or basil and oregano. Marinara is a pantry staple that is often used on pasta, with fish dishes or on top of pizza. Also makes a great dipping sauce for mozzarella or empanadas.

TOMATO BASIL: A delicate sauce with plenty of fresh basil, minus the garlic. Many varieties have light chunks of sweet tomatoes and onions.

FRA DIAVOLO: This tomato-based "devilish" sauce gets its kick from hot crushed red peppers. Adds spice to seafood dishes, such as lobster or calamari.

ARRABBIATA: This "angry" sauce is spicy but not too hot. It can double as cocktail sauce for shrimp.

PUTTANESCA: Sometimes referred to as Mediterranean sauce, this southern Italian favorite is tomato-based and has many additions, including capers, olives, onions, garlic and sometimes anchovies. Great baked with pork chops or as a bruschetta topping.

VODKA: Vodka sauce was born when a lot of cream, a splash of vodka and some Parmigiano-Reggiano met up with Marinara sauce. While great on penne pasta, some chefs suggest using on top of an omelet, or spiced up with some hot peppers over chicken.

BOLOGNESE: A thick tomato-based sauce with the addition of ground beef. Use as a base for lasagna or for a hearty chili.

PESTO:Classically, pesto gets its green color from fresh basil leaves, its nutty flavor from pine nuts and its tang from a combination of Parmigiano-Reggiano and Pecorino Romano cheese. Blended with extra virgin olive oil, pesto is traditionally made with a mortar and pestle.

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