Cooking Question

[cassecouilles 3]

Hi guys,

I have a Food question :-p My fiance loves the italian pasta dishes I make. Last time we traveled to Detroit I couldn't find all the ingredients I am used to and when I tried to make my usual Shrimp and Mushroom pasta it was so bad I was embarrassed. He still ate it, and raved about it to my dad on skype (I loved him for that) but considering how much ketchup he dumped on it I wasn't fooled :-p

When you guys make a pasta dish with a white cream sauce, what do you use to make the sauce? I asked around in the grocery store but everyone was just: oh, you mean Alfredo sauce? I don't think that's it because that has a cheese taste to it, right?

Also, what do you guys use for Passata or tomato puree? Me, and my fiance's stomach, would be grateful for any tips you'd like to share

Edited March 13, 2013 by cassecouilles

[JensJrny2Ray 367]

Hi guys,

I have a Food question :-p My fiance loves the italian pasta dishes I make. Last time we traveled to Detroit I couldn't find all the ingredients I am used to and when I tried to make my usual Shrimp and Mushroom pasta it was so bad I was embarrassed. He still ate it, and raved about it to my dad on skype (I loved him for that) but considering how much ketchup he dumped on it I wasn't fooled :-p

When you guys make a pasta dish with a white cream sauce, what do you use to make the sauce? I asked around in the grocery store but everyone was just: oh, you mean Alfredo sauce? I don't think that's it because that has a cheese taste to it, right?

Also, what do you guys use for Passata or tomato puree? Me, and my fiance's stomach, would be grateful for any tips you'd like to share

usually any white cream sauce on pasta, has been an alfredo sauce - it does have some cheese in it, parmesan or reggiano, but it's melted, cooked right in. You can opt to not use cheese. Then it would just be butter, milk and flour and a bit of salt and pepper.

[Harpa Timsah 13,258]

What is in your "white sauce?" White sauce, to me, is bechamel... it's a roux with milk. Do you buy yours in a packet or something?

For the tomato purée, there are a lot of italian products in stores. A normal grocery store will have various canned tomatoes (chopped tomatoes, boiled, strained etc) in cans and also tomato paste, but if those aren't good, I'd try a more specialty or gourmet store. Or you can make your own.

[sandinista! 1,816]

What are the magic ingredients not available in Detroit? And for the love of God, what was going on with this meal that allowed ketchup within a mile of a pasta dish, lol.

For canned tomatoes, I think the Muir Glen organic ones, in all varieties, are good. Pomi tomatoes in the little cartons are good too for making your own purée.

[LlamaInvasion 76]

Ketchup on pasta is a cultural thing.

My husband revolts and runs for the door when I do it. XD

[david'sgirl 134]

What are the magic ingredients not available in Detroit? And for the love of God, what was going on with this meal that allowed ketchup within a mile of a pasta dish, lol.

For canned tomatoes, I think the Muir Glen organic ones, in all varieties, are good. Pomi tomatoes in the little cartons are good too for making your own purée.

Funny, I thought the same about Ketchup! lol

[elmcitymaven 9,712]

Both my British exes put ketchup on pasta and pizza. Gross. When we moved over here, Mr. Maven No.2 was prohibited from doing this in public. Now that we are Splitsville he may of course pour as much Heinz on his Red Baron pizza as he likes.

He also had me make this thing that is so disgusting, the description does not do it justice. It is a flour tortilla, slathered in mayonnaise, with three fish fingers inside and a slab of tinned corned beef (or two) on top, with shredded cheese sprinkled over it. He came up with this in London. I made it for him on his birthday last year as a special present. I could barely watch.

[cassecouilles 3]

It was disgusting Even the raccoon who always rooted around in his trash wouldn't have it :-p I don't know in Belgium we have these little bottles of "creme fraiche" or cream that we can use and just add seasoning as you see fit. When I make that sauce I usually use that cream, salt, pepper, white wine, chicken stock (I think that's how you say it)and oregano. Among other stuff. It doesn't taste right with Alfredo. You can also use that same cream for desserts. Some people use it in soup.

Rudy eats everything with ketchup. I even saw him eat smoked salmon with it once. He also drinks milk with every mail. I think the worst thing I've ever seen him do though was dip a french fry in vanilla ice cream. The horror

[Harpa Timsah 13,258]

You can get crème fraîche in the US, at least the real stuff, but it is probably in a gourmet store (or if you have a nice grocery store). You can make it at home too. We have sour cream readily available, but it is more a cousin of crème fraîche and not the same.

Here is an online grocer with Belgian food products. http://www.belgianfood.com/index.html

Here is a place where you can buy crème fraîche online if you can't find it near you. http://www.markys.com/caviar/customer/creme-fraiche-7.5-oz..html

Alfredo is certainly not even close to creme fraiche

Edited March 15, 2013 by Harpa Timsah

[Harpa Timsah 13,258]

I just went to the store and my store, at least, had creme fraiche. The brand was Alouette. It was next to the sour cream in the dairy section.

[sandinista! 1,816]

It's very easy to make at home too--a cup of organic heavy cream, two tablespoons organic buttermilk mixed together, let it sit, covered, on the counter for 12 hours, and you've got creme fraiche. The lactic acid in the buttermilk keeps it from spoiling.

[Darnell 8,479]

dried anchovies, ground to dust, seems to be the best ingredient to add in, IMO.

Also, crema fresca is a common thing found in most Hispanic / Latino ethnic grocery stores, and there's bound to be some near you, aye?

Edited March 15, 2013 by Darnell

[sandinista! 1,816]

Both my British exes put ketchup on pasta and pizza. Gross. When we moved over here, Mr. Maven No.2 was prohibited from doing this in public. Now that we are Splitsville he may of course pour as much Heinz on his Red Baron pizza as he likes.

He also had me make this thing that is so disgusting, the description does not do it justice. It is a flour tortilla, slathered in mayonnaise, with three fish fingers inside and a slab of tinned corned beef (or two) on top, with shredded cheese sprinkled over it. He came up with this in London. I made it for him on his birthday last year as a special present. I could barely watch.

This is the kind of madness my husband comes up with when left on his own sometimes. He can cook, quite well really, but then he'll come up with these kind of horrid concoctions. Halal hot dogs, salsa rather than ketchup, and enough sriracha to kill a horse are part of his repertoire too.

[sandinista! 1,816]

dried anchovies, ground to dust, seems to be the best ingredient to add in, IMO.

I like cooking with anchovies , the ones packed in olive oil. They add lots of flavor to pasta dishes.

[Mithra 1,185]

Where did you go in the Detroit area that you couldn't find proper ingredients? There are lots of Italian/Sicilian American families in the area (my mother included) who manage to find proper ingredients. There are so many Italian speciality shops and produce markets that sell imported Italian/Sicilian goods. Heck even the bigger supermarkets have large Italian food sections. I prepare Italian dishes at least once a week and never have an issue. This week was orrecchiette with Italian sausage and rapini (broccoli rabe)...yum! Next time you're in the area, ask around.

ETA - my dad's mother is from the South so until meeting my mother he had no experience with authentic Italian food. When he went for dinner at my grandparents' house for the first time he asked for ketchup and then to my grandmother's horror, proceeded to put some on her homemade pasta and sauce lol. He learned pretty quickly that authentic Italian sauce does not require the addition of ketchup.

Edited March 16, 2013 by Mithra