Something else. This is a good recipe for starters. I am 100% italian and my family owns restuarants all over where I live. My homemade recipe is very similar to this, however I deleted the mushrooms, parmesan cheese and the bicarb. I add a little more garlic then this recipe calls for and NO water. I also add oregano to mine. When cooking it is important to cook the onions and garlic in some olive oil first. This brings out the flavour. I also add the fresh parsley basil and oregano (chopped), and salt and pepper to that first and cook a few minutes. Then I add the whole tomatoes and the juice, very important to take your hands to them and crush them a little. I let that come to the boil first before adding the sauce. After adding the sauce, I simmer and let it cook for 3 or 4 hours, stirring occasionally with the lid partially on. I also add additional seasoning as I taste and go along. What really turns the sauce unbelievably good is that I make meatballs seperately in a frying pan and once they are cooked I add them to the sauce during the last hour. WOW! - 21 Jul 2008

Something else. Why Put Bicarbonate of Soda in This Sauce? - 07 Mar 2011

Used different ingredients. Was my first time to make homemade sauce - it was fab. I added 1 tsp. dried basil, 1 tsp. oregano and 2 bay leaves - really would have been too tomatoey without the extra spices. I cooked the sauce 6-8 hours, and added my granny's homemade meatballs to it the last 3 hours. Wow! Thanks for the recipe! - 21 Jul 2008