In The Kitchen with Laura McKenna: Pasta Sauce

October 17th is National Pasta Day! Let’s talk sauce….

IF YOUR RED SAUCE IS TOO ACIDIC…
If you notice that your homemade pasta sauce is a little too acidic, instead of adding additional white sugar to counteract the bitterness- use a carrot!

Take a full-size peeled carrot and place it into your pot of tomato sauce as it simmers. Magically, the carrot adds its natural sweetness to the sauce without needing sugar and takes the acidity out of the sauce.

Then, when you’re done simmering your sauce, just remove the carrot! Viola! Perfect sauce! Not too sweet, not too acidic.

SKIP RED SAUCE ALTOGETHER…
When we think about pasta, chances are you think about marinara or some form of tomato-based sauce. While delicious, there are so many more ways to eat pasta that are equally yummy.

Just use olive oil! I think pasta tossed with olive oil is not given the credit it deserves (and it’s soooooo easy!)

Start by cooking your noodles separately. Then in a skillet, use a little olive oil (a little goes a long way and you can always add more if needed) and sauté your favorite veggies. I love mushrooms, onions, and colored peppers so I always have those on hand but you can use any combo of those or something else entirely!

Once tender, add the noodles to the veggies and sprinkle in whatever spices you like (italian seasoning, maybe a little garlic salt, basil, etc.). Toss everything together and serve! No “sauce” required!

Want to contact Laura McKenna about some of your favorite pasta recipes or cooking tricks you do? Anything else on your mind? Email anytime, she’d love to hear from you: Laura.McKenna@civicmedia.us
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