[FourEsters]

Forget about what you have seen in the US even by Italian-Americans. Italian-American cooking is it's own cuisine and it can be very nice but it is different.

Marinara sauce: "marinara" means of the sea... and here it is usualy a simple tomato sauce with anchovy. It can also be without anchovy but marinara flavourings would be: oregano, cappers, parsley, garlic, white wine. It would be simple and fresh... done in 5-10 minutes with fresh tomato in season or with canned tomato ... maybe 20 minutes.

Alfredo sauce: "alfredo sauce" does not exist in Italy. it's an American name for a cream sauce. Cream reduces in maybe 10 minutes circa.

The ONLY sauces that require long cooking times are some meat sauces... traditional "ragù bolognese" is cooked for even 3 hours at a very low flame. The Tuscan version in an hour or so.

A simple tomato sauce can be done in minutes with fresh tomato in the summer time.... to 30 minutes or so with canned tomato.

In Italy you have to remember that pasta is usually not thought of as a meal (although it often is eaten that way) it is thought of as the prelude to a meal... portions are small 80-100 gr. and not laden with sauce. In parts of the south of Italy, pasta is often a heartier dish with more sauce but it is very specific to that area and not diffuse in the rest of Italy.

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