Here at Limoncello people are always asking us “what’s the best pasta sauce?” We believe that there are two approaches to answering this question.
The traditional Italian answer to this question is that their own grandmother’s pasta sauce is THE BEST IN THE WORLD! And that anyone who dares to disagree should be mocked and taunted with stale grissini.
A slightly less confrontational approach is to admit that there’s no such thing as the definitively best pasta sauce. Because it’s an entirely subjective question. It changes based both upon personal taste, and which of the dozens of types and styles of pastayou’re talking about. But we can tell you…
What Makes a Great Pasta Sauce?
This is what we should all aspire to. Making a great pasta sauce. And then letting everyone else worry about whether it’s “the Best” while enjoying it. So what does it take to be great?
Like with all cooking, using the highest quality of ingredients is a must. It doesn’t matter how good a cook you are, if your tomatoes aren’t ripe, don’t even bother. However, when cooking at home this does mean that some dishes are going to be seasonal treats rather than year-round staples. This can be a shame, but we all have burdens to bear in the pursuit of excellence.
The consistency and texture of the sauce is also of vital importance. And depends heavily on the style of pasta you want to serve it with. While some pastas may appreciate a thick, lumpy, rustic style of pasta sauce, others may prefer a smoother and more refined approach.
But remember that classics are usually classic for a reason. And sometimes simplicity is best. An amazing marinara can be made with just slivered garlic, crushed tomatoes and olive oil. Overcomplication for the sake of it may sound good in your head. But it often falls short of the refined elegance of the classics.
Limoncello Pasta Sauce
So how do we do it? How do we provide excellent pasta sauces benefitting from a proper concentration of flavour? By going back to the source.
As much as we’d love to make our own brand sauce in house, we simply have to admit that we are not your grandmother. The quality of ingredients needed to produce the intensity of flavour we demand is typically not available locally. Who knew that Mediterranean foods would grow far better and tastier in Mediterranean climates?
Instead our pasta sauces are made with love by real Italians in Italy. With access to the kind of fresh, ripe and succulent ingredients that don’t travel well. While we can’t guarantee that they’re better that your grandmothers’, we believe they are the next best thing.
Our selection of Limoncello brand pasta sauces include: tomato & basil; porcini mushroom; golden vegetable; and Arrabbiata. And if you’re curious about which style of pasta to serve with which sauce…come over and ask us the next time you’re down Mill Road
Credit: Thomas Farley