Using only simple ingredients and a little time, this universal tomato sauce is a staple recipe that brings any pasta or pizza to life.
I believe the best foods are so simple, made with fresh and seasonal ingredients, and often the biggest items on the list are time and a little love. So do yourself a favor— play "Nessuno" by Mina on speaker and dive into this sauce, heart first.
The absolute key to this sauce is the tomatoes. It is so important to use flavorful tomatoes that are fully, if not overly ripened. I often make this sauce with the extra tomatoes sitting on my counter that are just past their prime. As the tomatoes become softer, and less ideal to eat in a salad, they get sweeter. This makes them perfect for slow cooking in a sauce. I also occasionally add a can of italian cherry tomatoes if I do not have enough fresh tomatoes on hand. However, the best results come from using fresh, seasonal tomatoes that have fully ripened.
Dreamy Tomato Sauce
Ingredients
Tomatoes (any variation, but fully or a bit overly ripened)
1-3 cloves of garlic, crushed (depending on your quantity of tomatoes)
1-2 Tbs good olive oil
high quality salt to taste
a sprinkle of roasted red pepper flakes
chopped fresh or dried herbs, oregano or basil
1 can of plain tomatoes (optional if you need more tomatoes)
Directions
Put water on to heat in a water cooker, tea kettle, microwave, or on the stove.
Gather your ripened tomatoes on a cutting board. Cut a small slit in the outer skin of each tomato before placing them into a glass bowl.
Pour the scalding water over the tomatoes, fully submerging them in the bowl.
While the tomatoes soak for about 5 minutes, heat olive oil on medium/low in a sauce pan or skillet.
Add the crushed garlic and a small pinch of chili flakes to the oil and allow it all to slowly sauté.
Once the skin of the tomatoes is beginning to separate, or it will easily come off, carefully peel just the skin off of each tomato with your fingers or a knife and then put them into the pan of oil and garlic one by one.
Once all the tomatoes are in the pan, pour some of the water from the bowl into the pan, enough to cover the tomatoes in the pan.
Bring the mixture to a gentle boil. Then reduce the heat to low and add a sprinkle of your herbs.
Allow the tomatoes to simmer for at least 1 hour. Add a bit more water if it dries out too quickly, but let the sauce thicken and the tomatoes slowly fall apart.
Use a wooden spoon to occasional stir the sauce. If you want to add canned tomatoes to increase the quantity, you can.
About half way through the process, add a sprinkle of salt and a squeeze of lemon juice.
Once the tomatoes are very tender and falling apart, use an immersion hand mixer to blend the sauce. You can also transfer the sauce to a blender if you don't have an immersion tool.
Use this sauce for pasta, pizza, or whatever your heart is set on. Store in the fridge in a glass jar for up to 3 days.
En guete, bon appetit, enjoy!!!
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