Basic Tomato SaucePrint Recipe

When I first left home, Tomato Sauce was the only thing I really ever made and I thought I was quite the cook – seriously. I poured it onto pasta and gnocchi on more occasions than I care to remember. It was the dish I served at dinner when I had friends over and the dish I ate alone whilst pondering things a 20 year old ponders.

I still have my own recipe but I recently made this one from Mario Batali, and it was so good I thought I should share it with you (I am also using it for a veal dish tomorrow). It is not that dissimilar to my original tomato sauce, it just has thyme instead of basil which I think I prefer.  Mr Batalli also adds carrots which I think is a little odd but he is Italian and I am not.

You say tomato, I say tomahto – now you too can have your own jar of this delicious and rich tomatoey sauce to play with.

Ingredients
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
1 Spanish onion, chopped in 1/4-inch dice
4 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
3 tablespoons chopped fresh thyme leaves, or 1 tablespoon dried thyme
1/2 medium carrot, finely shredded
Two 28-ounce cans peeled whole tomatoes, crushed by hand and juices reserved
Salt

In a large heavy based saucepan, heat the olive oil over moderate heat. Add the onion and garlic and cook until soft and light golden brown, 8 to 10 minutes. Add the thyme and carrot and cook 5 minutes more, until the carrot is quite soft. Add the tomatoes and juice and bring to a boil, stirring often. Lower the heat and simmer for 30 minutes. Season with salt and serve.

Notes: This sauce can be refrigerated for 1 week or frozen for 6 months.

Source: Mario Batalli

© 2011, Michelle. All rights reserved.