"Evelyn" > wrote in message
...
>
> "Julie Bove" > wrote in message
> ...
>>
>> "Evelyn" > wrote in message
>> ...
>>> Whenever I have to use jarred sauce, I always add a can of tomatoes to
>>> it. I never use dried onion, as it disagrees with my stomach. I often
>>> will sautee some onion and garlic and then add some marsala wine, and
>>> the jarred sauce and tomatoes. A pat of butter goes a long way
>>> towards making sauce from a jar more palateable. We like Prego sauces
>>> when I need to use sauce from a jar. But the very best sauce from a
>>> jar I have ever tasted is from a local market and they sell their own
>>> brand. It is similar to homemade.
>>
>> I used to use wine in cooking but am not supposed to have liquor now. I
>> did have some in that beef that I bought at Costco.
>>
>> I would never put butter in a red sauce even if I were not allergic.
>> Olive oil, yes.
>
>
> It's quite delicious and a Northern Italian thing. Most Americans are
> not that familiar with Northern Italian cooking and in different regions
> of Italy different ingredients are used. Olive oil is used everywhere,
> but in the North in particular a lump of butter is often added to sauce
> just before using it. It stretches the sauce, adds greatly to the
> flavor, and softens the sharpness of the tomatoes. Of course if you are
> allergic, it is a moot point, so forget I suggested it.

Hmmm... I had a roommate who was Northern Italian and she never did that.
She did however fry the heck out of the dried seasonings before she put the
tomato sauce in. In those days I don't think we ever had olive oil in the
house. Most likely it was Wesson. She was also a terrible cook. Whenever
she invited her boyfriend to dinner he would call me and ask me who was
cooking. He had to call me because if he asked her she would get angry at
him. Hehehe.