{Recipe at the end of this post. This photo demonstrates the important principle of Save a Step — make more of what you are making. You can see that the salad is for four people, two of whom are not big salad eaters. But the casserole is for eight. Back in the day I would have made two of these. Go thou and do likewise.}
I am not sure why it is that it was a bit of a surprise for you to know that I'm a convert.
Hmm.
This makes me wonder what I've left out. Have you read my “What it means to be a woman” series so far? (You have to read from the bottom up.) I feel like I've let you know a lot about myself in those posts. Maybe I'm not as clear as I thought I was? Maybe we need some bios over there on the sidebar?
I'll have to think about “telling my conversion story,” although that seems like it would be tricky. For one thing, doesn't it seem like I'd have to tell others' stories as well? Maybe they don't want their stories told. If I leave their stories out, it will seem to me that I've left out the important bits, and made things appear simpler than they are.
How to get at experience — that's the hard part, especially when an integral part of the experience is coming to be more myself, or emerging from the emotional and spiritual vagueness and misery of not having faith, to the clear light of having it. I think I would need a verbal form of calculus – words that describe change in motion — to be able to express myself. Working linearly seems tidy but ultimately misrepresents the case.
You knew that my father is Egyptian (a secular Moslem, if you know what I mean by that), right? And that early on, he remarried, to an Egyptian woman who's quite a character.
She had her way of doing things, and if questioned, simply could not give an explanation of why this was her thinking. Despite being intelligent and fluent in English (and anyway, I was fluent in understanding Arabic, although that was a long time ago), she was fairly inarticulate when it came to defending her ways.
My stepmother was a very good cook, mainly of Arabic food, which, honestly, at the time, I detested. I was horrified by vegetables and/or anything strongly flavored, so I never ate much of it — but I remember how it smelled, and now that I love that food, I go by my smell memory, which seems to serve me fairly well.
She gave me my love of reading cookbooks, and she would often take a flight into French cuisine. She had gone to a French school in Egypt. (Everyone upper class went to an English, French, or more rarely, German school in those days. She is fluent in French as well. I don't know what they do now.) As to American food, she was somewhat snobbish or possibly uninterested, I think. If I asked her for something particular, she'd give it a try. I'd look at what she had served up and challenge her, saying, “Amina, this is nothing like –” fried chicken, or whatever it was I'd requested, and of course, she knew it.
“It's Egyptian fried chicken,” she'd insist. It wouldn't even be that it had Egyptian flavorings or method to it, necessarily. It would just be… different somehow. She'd have decided to put a random sauce on the chicken or make it with rabbit (yes, she did that) or something, and rather than explain herself, she'd just brazen it out by saying, “it's Egyptian fried chicken.” Or whatever it was.
So that's what I do, naturally.
It's also a handy way of forestalling the charge of inauthenticity. If I were Italian, I'd be outraged at someone calling this dish “lasagna” or even, “easy lasagna.”
But Egyptian lasagna? Who could be offended?
When I was telling you about making your menus, I posted a little peek photo of my actual, scribbled menu plan to give you an idea of what sort of thing I mean. {Not for you to copy, because the truth is, that doesn't actually help you! My menu encouragement works by giving you a template and a method for making your very own menus that suit your style, your taste, your diet, and your life. Do take a look on the sidebar to see what I mean.}
Alert stalker reader Pippajo pounced. What is “E. Lasagna”! she demanded to know. I'll tell you someday, I said…
This is the day.
Egyptian lasagna, aka E. Lasagna, because I'm not going to write out the whole thing on my little scribbled menu plan, but my family wants to know which kind of lasagna I'm making, because…
It looks like a regular Italian-style meat-and-pasta dish, but oh, how my family loves this casserole!
Other people as well. Bridget told a friend that this was her favorite meal, and her friend, who was tasting it for the first time, said, “Me too!”
It's nothing that special, really.
It's just that quick casserole (although it does somehow get a bunch of stuff dirty) that you know everyone will like, and will give you that satisfied feeling of having dinner ready on a busy weekday. It keeps well in the fridge. You can freeze it. I can't say that it's different from real lasagna that way, but whatever, they just like it better!
{Once a guest who definitely did not get himself in my graces for saying so, took one look at it and, without even tasting it, asked if I had any Tabasco sauce or something “to make this more memorable.” How rude! But if I'm honest, I have to agree that there's nothing exceptional about it except that everyone loves it! To this day, my husband gets out the Tabasco “to make it more memorable.”}
The two tools necessary to open this can of olive oil. They didn't save me from mauling the cap. What the heck? |
This is how far from Italy this recipe is. Egg noodles. Cottage cheese. Clearly someone ran out of eggs, called for to mix with (also run-out-of) ricotta in classical recipes, and subbed corn starch. Cheddar cheese! Ay Carumba!
The original recipe (which I found in a once-a-month freezer cookbook, but I don't remember which one, sorry) calls for ground beef. Over the years I've settled on a ground beef and Italian sausage combination as more tasty, and, possibly, more memorable.
I think it's a bit lighter and brighter tasting than regular lasagna, maybe? I'm sorry, I just can't explain why we love it so! Just make it!
Just keep your good Italian rolls in the freezer and be ready to provide a salad or green beans. Dinner is on.
Egyptian Lasagna
also known as
Easy Fake Lasagna
for 6-8 — definitely double for your large family, or make four batches at once and freeze two.
1 package 12. oz medium egg noodles (I don't know why, but it's really good with this shape, although I've made it with pasta such as gemelli or rotini)
1 16 oz. container cottage cheese, full fat (why buy low fat, it's yucky)
1 tablespoon corn starch
8 oz. grated sharp cheddar cheese (for these meals I do use already grated cheese because my favorite regional brand – Cabot – has a good sharp one. Since you are getting the food processor out anyway, it won't be too much extra work to grate your own, but it will be another blade to wash)
24 oz. or 2 1/2 cups of good thick tomato sauce (hint: if you are using a jar of sauce, as I usually do, “rinse” it out with a little red wine!)
1 lb. of a mix of ground beef and Italian sausage, browned. You can use less or much more meat according to all sorts of factors such as how many you are feeding and whether you've been eating a lot of meat lately and whether you can squirrel some of your meat away for a different meal if you use less in this one, etc. During Lent you can leave out the meat and instead mix a package of spinach in with the cottage cheese, although to Bridget this is just about the worst thing you could do and ruins her life.
Oil a lasagna pan. Boil the noodles and spread them on the bottom of the pan. It helps the next step if they have a chance to cool off a little.
If your cheese isn't grated, grate it using your grating disc in your food processor, then remove it to a bowl. Switch to your blade and process the cottage cheese with the corn starch and a couple of ounces of the cheese. Don't think you can get away without processing if you are using cottage cheese. If you are using ricotta (and that's fine) it isn't as important and you will avoid that particular mess.
Do put some of the cheddar in with the cottage cheese. It sort of melts into the noodles as it is baking and makes all the difference.
You can simmer the meat with the sauce if you like, or you can just assemble separately.
Spread the cheese mixture on the noodles evenly.
Spread the meat sauce (or the meat and then the sauce) on top of the cottage cheese layer.
Top with the rest of the cheese.
Bake for 30 minutes at 350° or until the top is brown and the whole thing is delectably bubbly.
Let it rest for 5 minutes or so, and serve!
Sometime I'll replace this photo with one that shows the layers — it just got late and we were hungry and needed to go to choir. |
The Eldest Son says
It is delicious.
Laura says
Love the “Egyptian” food! We always call it “Sears” food, or whatever. I guess it's because, back in the day, Sears made their own version of just about everything. I love your blog and look for a new post every day! More videos, please!
regan says
you are so lovely leila! and i have to admit i was so surprised when i read that you were a convert. it seemed as if Catholicism was as natural to you as breathing…not that converts don't make GREAT Catholics…in fact maybe sometimes they appreciate the faith so much because it was a journey. a decision. in your case it was just meant to be! and how wonderful for us because you share your pearls so beautifully.
i personally learn so much from you all the time about the faith i was BORN with!!!
🙂
ps. that lasagna looks yummy! i haven't made a good lasgna in a while.
Rabbit says
Yes, what Regan said IRT your way with Catholicism!
Laura Jeanne says
Excellent! I can't wait to try this. Fortunately, I just inherited a second hand food processor so I can make this just as you described. Definitely looks family-friendly.
Lisa G. says
That sounds VERY good – kind of reminded me of kugel when you mentioned the cottage cheese and noodles. I'm glad to know you can freeze it – I need to do things like that now – freeze casseroles in that sensible way I seem to be learning/absorbing (thank God!) from you.
I've been wondering about the convert business – you've been dropping remarks about it lately. Thanks for the recipe!
Sue says
Looks delightful!
Kelly P says
Have you shared the recipe for those also-delicious-looking rolls?
Kate says
I make something like this. I think I got it years ago from “Whole Foods for the Whole Family” (a La Leche League cookbook). I believe it was called “Sorta Lasagna.”
I never make long range menus. I follow the “Tightwad Gazette” author's plan of going by what is on sale or what I have in my freezer and fridge. Peppers were on sale so we are having stuffed peppers tonight made with left over ground beef. And there are plenty of green beans and lettuce in the garden.
Juliana B says
Thanks for sharing this! I recently started a meal rotation menu (after doing all your worksheets about a year and a half ago, I was still struggling with menu planning) and one of my nights if for a casserole and one for a pasta dish. This fits either category, so I can use it for either! It sounds delish. I have a few recipes like this one as well–the old “cut off the end of the roast” thing.
Pippajo says
A-HA!!! EGYPTIAN lasagne! I never would have guessed that in a million years. All of the E words having to do with food seemed like horrible things no one, least of all you, would do to lasagne: escarole, endive, escargot…although you do add spinach to it during Lent and, concerning that, I must agree with Bridget. That would ruin my life, too.
I make lasagne only occasionally (Redheaded Snippet claims to hate Italian food) but I'll have to add this to the rotation.
I really am rather a stalker, aren't I?
justamouse says
Well, we can stalk right a long together. 😉
Barbara says
I'm with Bridget. Cooked spinach ruins my life! 😉
I make a similar lasagna with bow ties and stir some finely shredded yellow squash into the ricotta (your cottage cheese) and the kids don't even know it's there. But yum!
_Leila says
Sarah, we have Cajun food too! Usually green beans 🙂
emily barton says
This looks incredibly yummy. I am all about just about any chees-y Italian dish. I mean, Egyptian. We will try it!
And I actually add spinach to many of the Italian dishes I make. Probably not the best idea, taste-wise, but my kids are used to it and I feel better knowing they're getting veggies. (I also chop peppers and onions each time to add to the beef.)
So this is a side note, but does anyone else get annoyed that cheddar cheese is nearly always ORANGE these days? I tried to boycot, but there are just too many good recipes with cheddar cheese. And I can only *sometimes* find that un-dyed white kind. (Cabot I think it's called?) Why the additives. It just irritates me to be getting/giving my children additives for absolutely no reason. (I haven't looked, but I'm guessing it's Yellow No 5 or whatever?!) Oh well. Loss of collective memory (cheddar cheese is *supposed* to be white to light yellow!), I suppose. I pretty much chalk everything up to collective memory loss these days. 🙂 Here's to restoration!
_Leila says
Emily, I think it's a regional thing. Here in Massachusetts we have lots of white cheddar. But our white eggs are always cheaper than the brown! No one thinks they are real. I've heard some people here say that “they” bleach the eggs to get them to be white!
Natalie says
i ididn't even KNOW cheddar was really white!? i was wondering that from the pictures above…wow….
_Leila says
Natalie, I think cheddar comes in whatever color the milk is that the cows produce (which changes according to diet and season). But the strong orange color comes from the addition of annatto, a dye from a seed.
Rachel says
Annatto is a natural colorant, but I prefer not to give my children any additives either, real or not. I buy Tillamook cheese called vintage white chedder. I don't know if you can get it in your area, but it's well the worth the extra expense.
Ashley says
I've been wanting to ask you for quite a while now if you could write more about your conversion. I'm in the process of conversion myself (at least I think I am, in spite of myself…but that's another story). So much of what you write resonates so strongly with me…I'm the girl (woman? young mother?) you direct all your posts to. The one constantly bumbling things up here at home and trying to teach myself all those things I should have learned long ago. Anyway, I really would like to read about your conversion. Otherwise, thank you for all you have written. I've learned so much from you!
Aunt Sue says
Looks good and It would work with my stash of Picolini that I got for free. We are out of other types of pasta but I refuse to spend 1.00 or more/ lb on it.
Sometimes oone's menu needs the infusion of few new recipes. XOXO
Betsy M says
Funny – Mom used to claim that she cooked allot of Cajun German food. Or when the gingersnap men were more than a bit overly browned they were “racially diverse” and they were not thrown away although truely charcoal.
priest's wife says
yyyuuummm
When I want to label a dish as “don't be picky or judgemental”- I will call it “_____ Rusticana” (meaning I didn't make it too pretty
or
when I cook a dish from my husband's country (which is most of the time- (it is easier to cook from one cuisine than American- which is Mexican, Itlaian, German, etc) I will call it American _____- this is to let everyone know that YES- this dish is not exactly like grandma's!
Mamabear, JD says
I thought I'd read all of the old posts, but no! Indeed I'd missed some clues.
Our small grocery store didn't carry ricotta when I was growing up, so I am all about the cottage cheese in the lasagna!
Susan (DE) says
Looks beautiful.
What kind of lasagna pan do you have? I just have (mostly) pyrex from the cheap Pyrex store, but that blue pan is BEAUTIFUL.
Are they your own Italian rolls? They look beautiful as well. What is the recipe? Is it up there somewhere?
And…I knew you were a convert. Pretty much, anyway. I wasn't sure if your mother wasn't from a Catholic background…
_Leila says
Susan, that lasagna pan is from Marshall's, of course 🙂 It's a teeny bit smaller than my other ones, so it works well with the 12 oz. of pasta (vs. the more usual 16 oz.) It is really pretty, isn't it? The one I really favor is aluminum, left over from Phil's bachelor days!! 🙂
Sometime I will do a bread post…
Emily says
Reading this recipe totally made me laugh out loud – only Leila adds lovely tidbits to her recipes such as “to Bridget this is just about the worst thing you could do and ruins her life.” 🙂
This recipe is in some ways similar to the Hamburger Cheesebake that my mother used to make when I was a child. It used cream cheese instead of cheddar (making for a very rich, very filling meal!) and added some chopped green pepper and green onion.
Donna L. says
Oh My goodness!
I LOVE this recipe and have made it a few times when I “forgot” that I was out of lasagne noodles. I call it “Cheater's Lasagna” and make it very much the same as you have. But I mince onions, garlic, 3 or 4 carrots, zucchini, finely chopped spinach, and several stalks of celery into the sauce with the meat to sneak in a couple of cups of veggies with the noodles. I have also thrown the whole thing in a large pot and topped it with the cheese before putting it in the oven.
I was pleasantly surprised to find that you converted to the Catholic faith—Me, too! (I celebrated 21 years this Easter) I really have learned a LOT from you about faith and raising kids, and for that, I am very grateful!
God bless you and your family!
PS My oldest daughter is due to get her hair cut just like Bridget—-does Bridget still like it? Any advice for a Momma to NOT CRY when her daughter lops off her gorgeous long hair?
_Leila says
Donna, thank you. Bridget does still like her hair, especially after her siblings (whom she surprised by letting that post be the news to them) affirmed her choice.
It's growing out fast!
I didn't actually cry, but I did have pangs. But… it will grow back!
canadash says
You sing in the choir! Awesome! I'm gonna try this one out… though I'm sure someone will complain! 🙂
Donna L. says
Hmm. My first reply was lost somewhere in Cyberspace…
I love this recipe and made something like it when I find I haven't any lasagna noodles in my pantry. I do use this recipe to sneak some veggies in: onions, garlic, spinach, carrots and celery minced so small, that only *I* know they are in there!
I was pleasantly surprised to learn that you converted to the faith…Me, too! I just celebrated 21 years this Easter! I have learned SO MUCH from you about raising children, and being a better wife and mother and for that I am grateful!
sarah says
Okay, that explains a lot! For example, your name ~ the only other people I know who have your name were one of my roommate's best friend's in college, and she was from the middle east ~ then her best friend named her little girl after her. Not to mention the curly, twirly hair!
Annette says
Making this fro dinner tonight. 😀
Generic mom says
I should have known you were a convert, my husband is a convert and you seem to have that same indescribable grace that he has. I can't wait to try the e-lasagna. By the way, your blog is kind of like a godsend to all of us solo “domestic engineers”- thank you. You're like an Internet missionary for us!
Rabbit says
While I knew there was some Middle Eastern influences, I honestly thought you (Leila) were a Christian Middle Easterner. Because, they exist too! 🙂 I thought you might have been Maronite, given the icons in the home, your curly hair and coloring, and Habou being called Habou. I didn't pick up on Egyptian. That's why I asked you long ago (you probably don't remember) if you were Eastern Rite!
Margo says
haha – I always call my inauthentic versions “ghetto” so and so.
I love my lasagne with homemade noodles, but I haven't made it for a while – your simpler recipe is very timely! thanks. it looks great.
Sue says
Well, of course I knew you were a convert. And, I totally know what you mean about HOW on earth to write it all out – though there are some converts who do that extremely well, and I thank heaven for them. I may not have been where I am today (i.e., in the Catholic Church) if it weren't for some of those stories! I finally wrote a bit about our conversion on my regular blog a few days ago, but it's more of an “announcement” than a conversion story. I'm still playing around with writing out “the story” on my more anonymous blog, but I never feel really satisfied with the results – it feels to long, involved and boring on one hand, yet too simple and filled with gaping holes on the other.
I loved reading a bit more about your Egyptian roots. I am definitely going to try that recipe, but I had to snicker when I saw the first ingredient. There are several recipes that I grew up with, but that I can't make over here, because I can't get egg noodles easily – not to mention the Italian sausage. I guess my version will be Japanese Lasagna! ;o)
justamouse says
A few things-
When people ask me for my conversion story, I look like this O-o Where do I begin? How can I describe? Do you have a few days? 😀 I'm happy to know I'm not alone.
I love how pizza is every Friday, qualifying it for *meatless*. Happy kids, meatless meal. That's the way we do it here, too.
Egyptian lasagna is going on the rotation. Two nights of CCD, one of boy scouts and I need meals that are ready for us to eat and get where we have to go. Thank you!
Kh. Patty says
Hmmm… I was not at all surprised that you were a convert, but I'm not sure I specifically knew it. I gathered that you converted from little faith and tradition to more faith and resonance with tradition, but I'm not sure it ever occurred to me to wonder if you actually converted to Catholicism. As a convert to Orthodox Christianity, myself, I certainly appreciate a more seasoned mother's approach to observing the traditional, sacramental Christian life with a houseful of little kids—since that is not what I grew up with! And I just gave a brief talk to our Mom's group about praying with children, so I naturally forwarded your last post to the group as it was so very timely. (AND a great excuse to introduce them all to you!)
deb says
when my New York Italian husband first visited our midwestern rural family and decided to WOW everyone with his authentic lasagne 2 days before Christmas he caused QUITE a stir asking for Ricotta. No one knew what it was, and the poor family member who returned from the grocery with cottage cheese has never heard the end of it.
Personally, I love cottage cheese in 'lasagne', Egyptian or otherwise. And i love this post.
deb meyers
Rachel says
Wow, there is a whole lot of back story to Auntie Leila that I simply did not know! And here I thought you were Irish! Oh well, I still love all your advice. I don't think I'll be trying Egyptian Lasagna any time soon though. I have a still horror of casseroles. Why, oh why, would you dirty three pans for one dish? I will never understand it.
_Leila says
Rachel, I'm Irish on my mother's side (and Welsh).
No matter what, unless you're grilling, you're going to get pans (and utensils) dirty. What matters is whether what you get is tasty!
Kh. Patty says
Plus, the time cooking the casserole is PLENTY for washing up BEFORE dinner (instead of after breakfast the next morning like I usually do…).
Faith says
Dear Auntie Leila, I'm so glad that you specify pizza- with meat- on AllSaint's Day, otherwise I'd think you had pizza- with meat on every other Friday!! kidding (kind of)– and you know all of us will try these recipes now, don't you??
Sharon says
I too thought you may have been a Maronite, although moving to Latin Rite wouldn't have been a conversion so I thought you may have been Coptic. For all of my life until a few months ago I thought I was from Irish, Greek, Lebanese stock but discovered that we were only culturally Greek- my father's side lived in Greece before coming to Australia – and ethnically Lebanese. The Greek and Lebanese versions of the surname are very similar. So many pieces have fallen into place since making this discovery. I love “wog” food as do my children. We wogs are permitted to use this perjorative! *smiling* I have never been able to find kibe as my grandmother used to make.
Jenny says
How very interesting! My father-in-law is Egyptian and some of my husband's favorite dishes are Egyptian. I received the biggest compliment from my mother-in-law, who isn't Egyptian, when she said my meat and potato bake was the best she ever tasted, even better than an Egyptian aunt's who is the best cook in the family.
Nice to know a little bit more about you.
Nancy in AK says
This looks good! I just studied your menu list and I think that you have a system that is similar to mine. (I did your read post about menu planning). Just recently, I started to do this: Sundays is beef; Mondays is soup, salad, sandwich night; Tuesdays in Chicken; Wed is pasta; Thursday is Fish or Beans (vegetarian night); Friday is Pizza (of course); Saturday is Turkey or Ham or Sausage. This way, I am sort of forced to vary what we eat and I don't serve chicken three times during the week. Plus, it makes planning easy. I just think of one beef dish, one chicken dish, etc. I also love having sandwich and soup night even though my husband thinks that this doesn't seem like dinner. I think “lunch” for dinner works even better than “breakfast” for dinner.
_Leila says
I find it depends on the soup, although I will admit my husband is AMAZINGLY easy-going about what I serve. To me, a little thin soup doesn't cut it for supper. But if it's thick and hearty, it's fine and rolls round it out.
As to the menus, I think it's essential to have at least four slots in the week for your chicken/roast/soup/pizza rotation (although I don't do soup in the summer, really) — BUT then to build it around what's on sale at the store.
That particular menu list was a month because it was leading up to Thanksgiving and holidays are so much easier to handle if your meals are prepared. Note how simple they all are! Usually I do a week — I think that year I was on a roll 🙂
I mainly put a photo of it on there so you could see how much we like E. Lasagna!!
Jacqueyln says
Looks delicious! You can call it whatever you'd like, I just know that I want to try it! Thanks for recommending Cabot cheese 🙂
~Jacquelyn
Natalie says
is the casserole dish a thrifted find? i like the *idea* of using prettier dishes for everyday meals…but i just use pyrex baking dishes most of the time…Anyway, trying the recipe this week! thanks for wit and wisdom:)
_Leila says
Natalie, I got that dish at Marshall's. I can't resist something in that color! It was cheap 🙂
Melissa says
I loved trying this recipe…the splash of cheap Merlot totally made all the difference! It was wonderful, so thank you. Also if you ever have a chance to share your thoughts about this…the “my husband wont help me” issue. He works hard and is a loving father and leader of our home..but he just really isn't any good at helping around the house or with the tasks bathing the children or anything like that. Do I just appreciate him for what he does do, and give up on this idea or what? Any comments from me seem to make everything worse and lead to an arguement about our roles. Help Auntie Leila!!
Love Melissa
Kathleen Jaeger says
I wanted you to know that “Egyptian” cooking has made its way into our kitchen. Actually, it has been there all along but now we have a name for our creative cooking. I served “Egyptian” Reubens, explained the name of it and my son said he had made Egyptian Goulash the other day. I thought you might like to know !!
Suzanne says
This looks great, I just made two. If I freeze one how do I cook it when I take it out?
_Leila says
Suzanne, the best way to thaw it would be to take it out of the freezer and let it thaw in the fridge or at room temperature if it's not too warm in your kitchen. Cook covered with foil and then the last 5 minutes or so, take the foil off for good browning.
I think it would work best to cook it before freezing it, but not the full amount.
Suzanne says
Thanks, the first was delicious, glad to have one in the freezer. At our house this will henceforth be known as cheeseburger noodles, because my six and four year olds hate lasagna, and my son informed me he hated lasagna, regardless of what country it came from. So I gave them cheeseburger noodles, and they loved it. Dinner's appeal is all in the marketing when your six, apparently.
Katie says
I've been on a roll making your recipes this week! This and the broccoli soup were so delicious!
Christina A says
This was a hit tonight, thanks! My 7yo daughter “caught” me putting just a handful of spinach into the cottage cheese, which *almost* ruined her life; however, I think she had more (little-girl-sized) helpings than anyone. Can you recommend any brands of pasta sauce that are actually thick? I hardly ever buy premade sauce, but have noticed they tend to be a bit soupy. Tonight I just made my quick pizza sauce which is fairly thick, but it didn’t have the depth of flavor of my normal, long-simmered spaghetti sauce, nor that of jarred sauces.
Leila says
Christina, I am not opposed to making one’s own sauce, so if you are good with yours, use that. Lately I’ve been making my own, which I never used to do, primarily because I found that my own was soupy and the store-bought was thick! But since having my own good crop of tomatoes I’ve been doing better.
I usually buy the more premium version of the store brand (so not the cheapest but not the on-brand one either). Since my store does a good job with these, that’s fine.