Using homemade tomato sauce - recipes

Sunset, Sept, 1984

The DiPinto clan divides the results of its tomato sauce marathon (see page 68) to use in favorite family recipes; these three are samples. In the first, the sauce captures the juices of the moiist pot-roasted prok that simmers in it; the second is a simple recipe for eggplant parmesan. The third tailors the sauce to pasta, with the option of adding Italian sausages. Italian Pork Roast with Olives

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 pork butt or shoulder roast, 3 to 3-1/2 pounds

2 large onions, thinly sliced

2 cups DiPinto tomato sauce (page 69)

1 cup water

1 can (about 6 oz.) pitted green or black ripe olives, drained

Pour oil into a 4- to 5-quart pan and set on medium heat. When oil is hot, add pork roast and cook, turning as needed, until well browned on all sides, about 10 minutes. Remove pork from pan and set aside. Add onions to pan drippings and cook, stirring often, until onions are limp.

Set pork on onions; pour tomato sauce, water, and olives around meat. Cover, then bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce heat and simmer, turning roast and stirring sauce occasionally, until pork is very tender when pierced, 2-1/2 to 3 hours.

Lift pork from sauce and carve into thick slices or chunks; pour the sauce into a bowl and spoon onto individual portions. Serves 6 to 8. Eggplant Parmesan

2 medium-size eggplant (1 to 1-1/4 lb. each)

3 tablespoons each olive oil and butter or margarine

2-1/2 cups DiPinto tomato sauce (page 69)

1 pound mozzarella cheese, thinly sliced

1 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese

Trim and discard eggplant stems. Cut eggplant crosswise into 1/2-inch slices.

Place 1-1/2 tablespoons olive oil and butter in each of two 10- by 15-inch pans. Put pans in a 400 [deg.] oven until butter melts. Swirl fat to coat pan bottoms. Lay half the eggplant slices in each pan; turn over to coat both sides with fat.

Position two oven racks a few inches above and below the middle of the oven. Bake eggplant in a 400 [deg.] oven for 15 minutes. Turn eggplant slices over and switch pan positions. Continue baking until eggplant is brown and very tender when pressed, about 30 minutes longer.

Arrange half the eggplant in a shallow 2-to 2-1/2-quart baking dish, overlapping slices as needed. Evenly distribute half the tomato sauce, half the mozzarella slices, and half the Parmesan in layers on eggplant. Repeat layers of eggplant, tomato sauce, mozzarella, and Parmesan cheese, using all the ingredients.

Bake in a 375 [deg.] oven until cheese is lightly browned and sauce is bubbly in center, about 40 minutes. Serves 6 to 8. Italian Mushroom Gravy with Pasta

3/4 cup dried Italian mushrooms (porcini) or cepes

Water

1 medium-size onion, chopped

1/2 cup each minced parsley, chopped celery, and chopped celery leaves

3 tablespoons olive oil

4 cups (1 qt.) DiPinto tomato sauce (page 69)

1/4 teaspoon crushed dry hot red chillies (optional)

Salt

12 ounces dry vermicelli

About 1 cup freshly grated

Parmesan cheese

Place mushrooms in a bowl; add 3/4 cup hot water; let stand 20 to 30 minutes.

In a 4- to 5-quart pan over medium-high heat, cook the onion, parsley, celery, and celery leaves in oil, stirring, just until the onion is limp.

Lift mushrooms from water, draining; save water. Finely chop mushrooms and add to onion mixture. Carefully pour most of the mushroom liquid into pan; discard any grit at bottom of bowl. Add tomato sauce and chilies. Bring to a boil over high heat; cover and simmer until the sauce is reduced to 1 quart, about 45 minutes. Season with alt.

In a 6- to 8-quart pan, cook vermicelli, uncovered, in 5 quarts boiling water until tender to bite, 7 to 9 minutes. Drain pasta and pour onto a platter or dinner plates.

Ladle mushroom gravy onto pasta; sprinkle with cheese to taste. Serves 4 to 6.

Italian mushroom gravy with sausages. In a 4- to 5-quart pan over medium-high heat, brown 1-1/4 to 1-1/2 pounds mild Italian sausages on all sides; lift from pan. Prepare mushroom gravy with pasta as directed, preceding, but omit olive oil; cook vegetables in the sausage drippings. When all the ingredients for the sauce have been added, return sausages to pan and cook the sauce as directed to serve on pasta. Serves 4 to 6.