Spaghetti bolognese - tinned tomatoes or passta

glider3560

For years, I always made spag bol with tinned chopped tomatoes. Cheap, but never tasted quite right. The taste was there, but the sauce was always a little thin, however much I reduced it.

So I switched to jar sauces. Quite pricey for just tomatoes with some herbs. And I didn't like the salt content in these jars.

But yesterday, I made it with passata instead. Just 35p for 500g at Lidl (the same size as the jar pasta sauces). OMG, it tasted so good. Just added a little chopped garlic and a few other spices (like I did with the tinned tomatoes).

What do other people use for their spaghetti bolognese? I can't believe how many years I've been making horrible spag bol, when a simple switch of ingredients makes it taste so much better.

Also, does anyone cook the pasta in the sauce? Both my French housemates at university did this, so we just assumed it was a French thing, but actually seems quite sensible as there's less washing up!

bouicca21

Passata for me, too.

spadoosh

Chopped tomatoes and puree for me. The chopped tomatoes add bite and the puree concentrates the flavour.

Passata on a pizza base.

[Deleted User]

Plum tinned tomatoes reduced down (I chop into smaller pieces before cooking, but not as small as chopped tomatoes are).

bouicca21

When I used to use canned tomatoes I always used the ones in tomato juice. Just as good as using passata for taste, but I prefer passata for a smoother sauce. Plus Lidl passata is so cheap!

jackieblack

Passata fan here too :wave:

KxMx

A jar of Dolmio, sweetcorn and a chopped fresh tomato or two.

carriebradshaw

I use canned plum tomatoes, they don't have to be dear ones, lidl favorina ones are fab, but any will do really.I push them through a sieve to remove the seeds and stalks (only takes a minute or two) then I add a tablespoon of double concentrate tom puree . Sometimes I add a wee bit harrissa paste to add a bit more flavour or if I can get hold of it some holy cow serious sauce (himalayan hot garlic flavour) it's delish!

VintageHistorian

I use passata, plus a squeeze of tomato puree.

LilElvis

Tinned chopped tomatoes plus tomato puree for me. As it's already completely inauthentic I feel no shame in also adding a good slurp of Watkins Mushroom Ketchup and another of Worcestershire Sauce. A properly made Bog should feed a small army with enough spare to stock half a freezer and leave the kitchen in total devastation with peelings, cans, cartons, boards, pans and utensils teetering in precarious piles on every work surface. If made well my godson should be caught sneaking spoonfuls before it has finished defrosting let alone be warmed back through :rotfl:

YorksLass

I use either chopped tomatoes or passata plus tomato puree, although I have been known to use all three! We like lots of sauce.

I find the KTC brand of tomatoes are good and whenever I see them on offer I'll stock up with them - big time.

Not sure about cooking the pasta in the sauce though. Apparently the proper way is to cook the pasta and sauce separately, then add the sauce to the pasta pan before serving. Oh dear, mine is pasta on plate and top with sauce. Never mind, it still tastes good.