Simple Tomato Sauce

Total Prep Time: Approximately 90 minutes

Canada's Food Guide Servings:
1 Vegetables and Fruit (1/2 cup canned vegetables)

I grew up in a home where meals were made with love and family dinners were a must.  Of the numerous recipes I've taken from my mother, her simple tomato sauce has been the most used one of them all.  My siblings and I all make it, my husband makes it, and I have passed my recipe on to numerous friends and co-workers.

My mother learned how to make tomato sauce from Mrs. Gargarella, the mother of her close friend, many moons ago.  Over the years, she adapted it slightly.  This rich, flavourful sauce will please everyone in your family.  It's perfect over rotini or in a lasagna and it freezes very well.  And it's incredibly easy to make!


Simple Tomato Sauce

Ingredients:
6 cans whole San Marzano or plum tomatoes, pureed
1 bulb fresh garlic, peeled and finely chopped
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
3 tbsp dried oregano
3 tbsp dried basil
2 tbsp salt
1 tbsp fresh cracked black pepper


Directions:

1. Prepare whole tomatoes by pureeing in a blender or by using an emulsion blender.  Add to a large pot and place on the stovetop on high heat.
2. While the tomatoes are heating, prepare the garlic.  Heat olive oil in a small pot over medium heat.  Add chopped garlic to olive oil and cook garlic just until it turns a light golden colour.  Immediately add the garlic and olive oil to the pot of tomatoes.
3. Add oregano, basil, salt and pepper.  Stir occasionally.
4. Once the sauce comes to a boil, turn down the heat to medium-low and slowly simmer for at least 1 hour.  The longer you simmer the sauce, the thicker it will be.
5. Serve over your favourite pasta, topped with freshly grated Parmesan or Grana Padano cheese.
6. Store in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.

Adding olive oil to chopped garlic

Perfectly golden garlic

All ingredients in the pot

Tomato sauce simmering away, almost ready!

Dinner's ready!

*TIPS*
1. Once the sauce has cooled to room temperature, pour into freezer bags or containers and freeze for up to 3 months. You can also freeze the sauce in ice cube trays, handy for homemade pizza!
2. Omit the garlic, add fresh herbs or vegetables, try different flavours.  This is a basic tomato sauce that you can make your own.
3. Add ground beef or spicy sausage for extra protein.
4. Big-A loves leftover pasta with his school lunch.  Simply heat up in the morning, place in a thermos and top with extra sauce.  Penne and rotini work best as they don't fall apart when re-heated.