Making pasta sauce is definitely in my DNA. It was in Sicily, Italy as a young child that I first tasted how amazing a tomato pasta sauce could taste. My dad later taught me how to make it while helping him as a teenager at my parent's acclaimed authentic Italian restaurant, da Filippo's Autentica Cucina Italiana, in Somerville. Later on, while I was studying to become an airline pilot in Florida, I started creating and jarring my own version of the sauce as a hobby.
After many years of fiddling in the kitchen and perfecting my recipe, I decided to once again try to figure out the many intricacies associated with getting my sauce jarred. Interestingly, it took several attempts to comply with the strict food and labeling practices without compromising the original flavor. When I finally exacted the procedure, I was able to initially have it featured in Wegmans at their Bridgewater location. Since then, my hobby has grown into a small business where Romeo’s Marinara Pasta Sauce continues to sell at all NJ Wegmans locations, Kings Supermarkets, Spirits Of the Valley in Martinsville and Malangas Farmers Market in Warren, as well as online. I hope you enjoy the sauce and creating the featured recipes. Also, don’t forget, if you just want a quick and great tasting meal, just heat some sauce and toss it with your favorite pasta. Enjoy and Buon Appetito!
Bolognese Meat Ragù
Ingredients:
1 Jar Romeo’s Marinara Sauce
1 ¼ Lbs ground beef (recommend at least 20% fat)
3 Tbl olive oil
¼ C diced onions
¼ C chopped carrots
¼ C chopped Celery
½ Tsp Salt
¼ Tsp pepper
1 Bay leaf
1 Lb tagliatelle, or any other type of broad and flat shaped pasta
Procedure:
1. Place olive oil in a pan and sauté the diced onions until they are translucent.
2. Add the carrots and celery and stir for approximately 3-4 minutes.
3. Add the ground beef and use a sturdy spatula to break up beef until its texture is of small crumbles and browned.
4. Add 1 full jar of Romeo’s Marinara.
5. Add salt, pepper, and bay leaf.
6. Over continued medium heat, stir mixture thoroughly for 3 minutes. Then lower the heat until the ragù slowly simmers and cover the pot. Continue to slowly simmer for 15 more minutes while occasionally stirring the ragù.
7. Follow your pastas’ instructions and when the pasta is cooked and strained, toss the meat ragu together. In Bologna it is customary to use tagliatelle but if you don’t have access to this type of pasta, use any other type of broad and flat shaped pasta such as fettuccine or pappardelle.
Egg Plant Ragù
Ingredients:
10 Oz peeled and chopped ½ inch cubes eggplant
1 Jar Romeo’s Marinara
1 ½ C olive oil
1 Tbl chopped basil
½ Tsp salt
¼ Tsp pepper
1 Tbl grated ricotta salata
Procedure:
1. Fry eggplant cubes in olive oil until they are golden brown and strain.
2. In a separate pot add jar of Romeo’s Marinara, eggplant, basil, salt and pepper and bring this mixture to a slow simmer and stir.
3. Simmer for 5 minutes and toss with your favorite pasta. Rigatoni are recommended for this dish as they will mix very well with the diced eggplant cubes. After the pasta and eggplant ragù are served on a plate, dress each portion with the ricotta salata.
Creamy Pink Salmon with Farfalle
1 Lb fresh salmon
1 Lb bowtie pasta (farfalle)
3 Tbl olive oil
1 Oz diced onions
1 ½ C Romeo’s Marinara
1 Tbl finely chopped parsley
¼ C heavy cream
1 Tsp salt
¼ Tsp pepper
Procedure:
1. Chop Salmon into small ¼ inch cubes. Ensure that you remove and discard any bones.
2. Place olive oil in a pan and sauté the onions until they are translucent.
3. Add the chopped salmon and stir until salmon is lightly opaque pinkish white.
4. Add 1 ½ cup Romeo’s Marinara, salt, pepper, parsley and stir.
5. Add ¼ cup heavy cream and slowly simmer for 10 minutes.
6. Follow the bowtie pasta’s instructions and after it is strained toss together with the salmon pink sauce and serve.
Shopping List
* Romeos Pasta Sauce
* Ground beef
* Olive oil
* Onions
* Carrots
* Celery
* Flat shaped pasta
* Basil
* Grated ricotta
* Eggplant
* Fresh salmon
* Bow tie pasta
* Parsley
* Heavy cream
