What a great way to start your Sunday morning… a pot of sauce simmering on the stove
Mmmm… the wonderful smell of garlic, onions and tomatoes all melding together in Italian symmetry
Sometimes I’ll start a pot of sauce without a definite plan of what the application will be, but somehow tonight’s dinner will include tomato sauce in some way, shape or form
This is a thinner version of our sauce which is delicious to serve over pasta or to gently simmer meatballs
Let’s cook!
Finely chop one large onion
Sweat the onion in olive oil over medium heat until translucent about 6-7 minutes
Stir frequently and lower the heat if they begin to brown at all
If you overcook the onions, they give sauce a bitter taste
Add 3 cans of good quality tomatoes. I choose either crushed or whole plum and “squish” them by hand (technical cooking term)
I never use the pre-seasoned canned tomatoes because I like to add in my own flavor
Add in kosher salt, black pepper and pepper flakes plus bay leaves, garlic powder, onion powder, dry basil, dry oregano and a pinch of sugar
I’m a big fan of fresh herbs, but use the dry herbs as well for a different level of flavor
Mince 4 cloves of garlic and add to the pot
(Did I mention we like to use a LOT of garlic??)
I know many recipes saute the garlic with the onions, but we’ve found that you keep that garlicky freshness if you let it cook right in with the sauce
Stir to combine all of the ingredients, cover and let the melding begin!
Simmer on medium-low for about 60 minutes, stirring occasionally
In our house, it’s everyone’s job to keep an eye on the sauce. If you pass by, give it a stir and be rewarded by a steaming tomato facial
Measure out 1 cup of dry red wine, 1/2 cup of Parmesan cheese and a tablespoon of tomato paste
The grated Parmesan adds a little more depth to the flavor and a hint of saltiness
Add in the wine, cheese and tomato paste to the pot, give a stir, cover and let cook for another 30 minutes or until the desired thickness
I like to store the leftover tomato paste in a baggie in the freezer. When I need to add some to a recipe, I can just cut off a piece and it defrosts as it cooks
Taste the sauce and adjust the seasonings as necessary
Enjoy!
Simply Sundays! ~ Simple Tomato Sauce
Ingredients
1 large onion, finely chopped
4 cloves garlic, minced
3 (28 oz.) cans crushed or whole peeled tomatoes
2 teaspoons kosher salt
2 teaspoons black pepper
1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
4 bay leaves
1 teaspoons each of:
garlic powder
onion powder
dry basil
dry oregano
sugar
I cup dry red wine
1/2 cup grated Parmesan
1 tablespoon tomato paste
Directions
Finely chop one large onion and sweat the onion in olive oil over medium heat until translucent about 6-7 minutes; stir the onions frequently and lower the heat if they begin to brown at all
Mince 4 cloves of garlic and set aside
Add 3 cans of good quality crushed tomatoes or whole plum, crushed
Add in the salt, pepper, pepper flakes, bay leaves, garlic powder, onion powder, dry basil, dry oregano and a pinch of sugar & the chopped garlic.
Stir to mix well, simmer on low for about 60 minutes, stirring occasionally
Stir in red wine, parmesan cheese and tomato paste
Simmer for at least 30 minutes more, stirring occasionally
Taste the sauce and adjust the seasonings as necessary
Tools used to make this recipe
Royal Classique Measuring Cups
Pyrex 3-Piece Glass Measuring Cup Set
Farberware Classic Series Stainless Steel 8-Quart Covered Saucepot
© Simply Sundays 2016
All rights reserved
[…] Simple Tomato Sauce and Basil Pesto […]
Your sauce and technique is great, I do mine exactly like that. I like to use fresh tomatoes or salt free diced in the can. Always hand crush. One thing that I do that people seem Love is Take a can of salt free corn, and I drain the water then I put it into a separate pan char the corn. I don’t use the burner I use a kitchen torch. Then just mix it into your sauce. It adds a tremendous amount of flavor to the sauce and some texture as well. I call it “Texican pasta sauce. Keep posting. Les
How interesting! Thanks for sharing!
Making this today and it smells so great! I ran out of oregano so instead of basil and oregano I used Italian Seasoning. Doubled it to freeze some. Using the sauce with stuffed shells and sausage.
Yum! Happy Sunday!
Making this yet again! I make it once a month usually. I am going to try the tomato paste trick. Fingers crossed!