A universal truth: the best food is made by the hands of our beloved grandmothers. And, even though many of us can spend hours talking about our favorite dishes, few people delve deep into family recipe books to discover what makes grandmothers' cooking so special.
“We cook the sauce for 5 to 10 hours.” The slower it cooks, the more the flavors blend
After spending the last three months traveling, I started thinking a lot about my grandmother. I was a judge in a pasta sauce competition in Great Italian Festival in Reno, Nevada, and seeing so many families happily cooking made me more homesick than ever. I was so eager to eat homemade food that I started to see my grandmother's face, short and active, in every lady who passed by.
To satisfy my curiosity (and desire to borrow a grandmother with me), I decided to ask the friendly nonnas Italian women at the festival what their secrets were for the best pasta sauce in the world. Here are my discoveries in all their delicious glory.
1. You need to be patient
The first stall I approached had not one, but two nonnas (in Italian, nonna in the plural it is grandmothers). This is the stand of the Marini & Aimone families, who represented the regions of Genoa and Piedmont in Italy. “Do you want to know our secrets? Ask in Italian,” they tell me with a big smile. The problem is that I don’t know a thing about Italian. I fight the instinct to make up my own sounds and keep listening.
“The secret is love”, explains the Nonna 1. The Nonna 2 enters the conversation. “Pancetta, Italian sausage, mushrooms and onion. It has to cook for a long time: the slower it cooks, the more the flavors mix. Therefore, we cook the sauce for between 5 and 10 hours.”
Five o'clock? I already find it difficult to wait 30 minutes to make a stir-fry.
2. Let the backyard guide you. Use fresh, seasonal ingredients
The Caranos come from Genova, Italy. They opened the Eldorado resort in 1973 and are practically Italian festival royalty.
“It starts by making the pasta by hand”, reveals Bob, the private grandpa. Laurie, the nonna from the house, he continues: “You need quality ingredients and everything you grow in your backyard always has the best flavor, so you always try to use the best ingredients. We’re very lucky – we raise our own cattle, pigs and everything else.”
Don't have fresh tomatoes? You can use a can of San Marzanos (they are reputed to be “the best in the world”).
3. Try, try and try
The Finnazzo family is from Palermo. Yours nonna He hands me a small cup of the sauce to taste while we talk.
“Don’t be in a hurry. Let the sauce simmer for at least an hour before tasting, then make any necessary adjustments. We do not use any ready-made measures at home; let’s go for the flavor,” she advises.
4. Balance is key
The Capurros represent Liguria and Genoa and were one of the founding families of the festival, 37 years ago.
“We make the pesto first, then the red sauce,” begins Suzanne. She adds: “Generally, people come here for the pesto… then they try the red sauce. Basil, lots of garlic, a little parsley (7 to 1), parmesan, bam bam bam!”, he concludes.
“We use one kilo and 300 grams of meat for 900 grams of sausage and 600 grams of ground pork. We only use salt and pepper; we don’t use other seasonings”, adds Suzanne’s husband, Bob. And Suzanne highlights: “We also chop all the vegetables by hand! We don’t use a processor.”
I asked if it really made a difference. She raised her hands up and smiled. “I don’t know either!”
5. Mushrooms are magical
The Aramini family gives their favorite ingredient as a tip: mushrooms.
“We came from northern Italy, near Genoa, from a village called San Marco D'urri. My red sauce recipe nonna it had Italian sausage and the secret ingredient: porcini mushrooms”, explains John.
The Lopriore family from Bari agrees. “We mainly use dried portobello, sautéed with olive oil and onion for the base”, highlights its fantastic nonna, wearing an apron that shines in the sun.
6. Experiment with herbs and spices
Basil, parsley, thyme and oregano are common, but they are not the only seasonings you can use in pasta sauce. The Pieretti family of Tuscany had a lot to say on the matter.
“We put some unusual seasonings in our sauce. We use traditional seasonings such as thyme, oregano, sage and parsley, but also some Middle Eastern seasonings. We also add a pinch of sugar sometimes”, reveals the nonna between smiles. And he emphasizes: “It’s part of my father’s recipe. He came from Italy and was always making spaghetti sauces.”
7. Wine is your friend
The Lazzarono family from Asti are devotees of good wine.
"Mine nonna He always said: 'You need one glass of wine per pan and two per cook'”, explains the young woman behind the counter. And she adds: “We also use red wine, a Cabernet. I really like the sauce that mixes Italian sausage and pork for extra flavor.”
This article was originally published on the platform Munchies.
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