Fresh tomato sauce

Serves: 10

If they like it, it serves 10 otherwise

Preparation time: 20 minutes

Cooking time: 1 hour

Totaltime: 1 hour 20 minutes

Cover and refrigerate the tomato sauce for up to five days. The sauce can be placed in zip-top bags or airtight containers and frozen for up to six months. What kind of tomatoes are best for fresh tomato sauce? While cherry and grape tomatoes are not the best candidates for this type of sauce, any other type of fresh tomato will work wonderfully—from plum to beefsteak to vine-ripened to heirloom! Just be sure to pick out red tomatoes or the color of the sauce might be a little funky yet tasty.

Ingredients

5 lb. tomatoes, cored and quartered
2 Tbsp. unsalted butter
4 cloves garlic, minced
2 tsp. kosher salt, plus more to taste
1/2 tsp. black pepper
2 Tbsp. olive oil
2 sprigs fresh basil

Preparation

In a blender, blend the tomatoes, in batches as necessary, until an almost smooth pulp forms. Pour into a large bowl; there should be about 10 cups of puree.

In a large Dutch oven, melt the butter over medium-high heat. Add the garlic and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds.

Stir in the tomato puree, salt, and pepper. Bring to a boil, stirring frequently. Reduce the heat to medium-low, and simmer until the sauce reduces by one-third, 45 minutes to 1 hour.

Remove the pot from the heat and stir in the oil and basil. Add salt to taste.

Makes: 6 cups

To obtain the best results:

① The secret is slow cooking.
A tomato sauce doesn't need to be rushed.
Over low heat for 30 to 45 minutes, the acidity naturally decreases and the flavors become mellow, deep, almost sweet.

② The subtle balance that changes everything.
A carrot or a pinch of sugar isn't there to sweeten it.
It is there to calm the acidity and bring out the tomato's flavor. It's this subtle detail that makes all the difference.

3. Olive oil deserves respect.
Always add it at the end, off the heat.
Otherwise, it loses its aroma and becomes heavy instead of providing that final touch of sweetness.

Ultimately, a good tomato sauce isn't about complicated ingredients.

It's about patience and simple techniques.