Sometimes it can happen that the pasta sauce has a too liquid consistency, even the one you buy ready in a jar. There are many ways to thicken a sauce, but in some cases you risk altering its flavor or texture. Based on the ingredients, the time you have available and the flavor you are trying to achieve, you can choose between several options to proceed. This article will give you several ideas for serving an excellent spaghetti dish.
Steps
Method 1 of 2: Thicken the Gravy Without Changing the Flavor
Step 1. Reduce the sauce by letting it simmer
The simplest and most natural way to reduce a gravy or sauce is to let them simmer slowly until they thicken. This is a very easy process:
- Bring the sauce to a boil and then reduce the heat slightly. Let it simmer over low heat until it reaches the desired consistency. Do not cover the pot and stir frequently to avoid the risk of burning it. The water contained in the ingredients will gradually evaporate making the sauce thicker.
- Thanks to this method, the flavor of the sauce will not change, but it may take a long time for it to thicken as you wish, depending on the initial consistency.
Step 2. Thicken the gravy with the cornstarch
It is a tasteless ingredient which therefore does not alter the taste of your preparation, but it could change the consistency; in fact the sauce will become more dense, shiny and creamy.
Mix equal parts water and cornstarch and add the mixture to the gravy you want to thicken. Only pour in a small amount at a time as cornstarch is a very powerful thickener. Less than a teaspoon may be enough to correct a quantity of gravy for six people
Step 3. Make a roux and add it to the sauce.
Just melt the butter in a saucepan and add some flour. It is a simple thickening mixture widely used by French cooks. It is also the basis of many sauces and gravies, for example the alfredo sauce so loved by the Anglo-Saxons for its creamy consistency.
- Once ready, add the roux to the sauce a little at a time, to prevent lumps from forming. At this point the sauce will have to cook for at least 30 minutes, otherwise you may taste the raw flour. Alternatively, you can cook the roux before pouring it into the sauce so as not to alter its flavor.
- Note that, while letting it cook, the roux will slightly modify the final taste of the sauce.
Step 4. Try adding the breadcrumbs
Like roux, it is a powerful thickener since its basic ingredient is flour anyway. When the preparation is complete, you may notice the presence of breadcrumbs in the sauce, but the taste will remain almost unchanged, while the consistency should improve considerably.
Step 5. Use boiled potatoes
Peel them, boil them and then mash them as if you wanted to prepare the puree. If you wish, you can also add a little milk, butter or cream to the gravy to thicken. The flavor could become slightly sweeter, but the most noticeable effect is a much thicker and fuller-bodied sauce.
Step 6. Finish cooking the pasta in the sauce itself
Drain it a little earlier than normal and pour it into the pan that contains the sauce. Let the spaghetti cook for 1 to 3 minutes in the sauce. The starch contained in the starch paste will help thicken the sauce. Once ready they will be perfectly seasoned.
Method 2 of 2: Thicken the Gravy with Flavor Enhancers
Step 1. Use tomato paste
The best time to add it to the sauce is at the beginning, to allow the flavors to blend. If needed, you can add it later if you need a quick thickening agent. its thickening power.
Step 2. Add grated parmesan or pecorino
Both have the power to quickly thicken pasta sauce. Keep in mind that these are very tasty cheeses that will affect the taste of the dish.
Cheeses like Parmesan or pecorino are particularly salty, so keep this in mind when adding salt to the sauce
Step 3. Use cooking cream to make a creamy gravy
Keep in mind that in addition to thickening the texture, it will significantly change the flavor.
Step 4. Use the vegetables
The sauce will become thicker and fuller, but not only that, it will also be much more nutritious.
- If you haven't used carrots to prepare the sauté, you can grate them and add them when the preparation is almost complete. You will need to let them cook until they flake and turn into a puree that can absorb excess water from the sauce. Note that acidity will also decrease.
- Alternatively, you can blend and stir-fry onions and peppers to add to the gravy to thicken it, but they will change the taste.
- Another hypothesis is to chop dried mushrooms which, having the consistency similar to that of a sponge, will absorb excess moisture and give the sauce a delicious taste.
- The eggplant also has a spongy texture, you can peel it, chop it finely and add it to the sauce.
Step 5. Turn the sauce into a ragù
Brown some minced meat or sausage in a pan, add it to the gravy and let it cook for as long as possible so that the flavors have time to blend.
Warnings
- If the sauce is not very thick, be careful to drain the pasta well so as not to dilute it further.
- Corn starch should be dissolved in cold water to prevent lumps from forming.
