Tomato Sauce
There are some recipes that are must haves in our repertoire. Tomato sauce is one of them (See helpful video at the end of this post!). Not just because there are lots of noodles to cover, but because basic recipes are also the foundation for great innovations. Tomato sauce can be used in so many ways from pasta to chicken and everything in between. If we master a basic recipe we can then move on to bigger and better things with new inspiration. As it has been said before, when we find new inspiration and apply it to the classics great innovation happens and the original recipe lives on. This simple tomato sauce can live on in a lot of differ ways.
- 2 tbsp Olive Oil
- 2 pounds of the best most delicious tomatoes you can get, quartered
- 3 cloves garlic, finely chopped
- 5-10 fresh basil leaves
- Salt and Pepper
- Heat the olive oil in a large saute pan over medium heat. Add tomatoes and bring to a simmer.
- Simmer tomatoes until they melt and seeds and skin become separate about 10-12 minutes.
- Over a clean bowl, push the tomatoes through a sieve or chinois to remove the seeds and skin
- In the same sauté pan, over medium heat, sauté the garlic in a little more olive oil. When fragrant, add the tomato back to pan, stir and bring to a simmer.
- Add basil leaves and continue to simmer until slightly thickened.
- If you want to use it immediately,season with salt and pepper to taste. Or, leave it slightly under seasoned so when it is used in later dishes it can be seasoned appropriately.
- The sauce can be used right away or frozen
The obvious thing to do with a simple tomato sauce is to toss it with your favorite pasta. The addition of some buffalo mozzarella makes such a simple and delicious sauce.
The addition of some ricotta to the sauce takes it to a new level! Just stir a few tablespoons into the sauce before tossing it with the pasta to make a tangy and creamy sauce!
Take a page from puttanesca, by adding capers and olives, but this time no pasta. Using it as a sauce for fish is delicious!
Of course, before you add the garlic and basil in this recipe the tomato puree is a blank slate for any cuisine. Add cilantro and jalapeño for a Mexican feel. Use it as a soup base. Use it to enrich a salsa. It is easy to make and easy to build on.
A good recipe for simple tomato sauce is a great thing to have! Use it often!
How do you make your tomato sauce? What dishes do you use your tomato sauce in?Let us know in the comments or on Facebook.
The Culinary Exchange can also be found on Twitter, Instagram, Pinterest, Google+ and YouTube.
Come on! Follow Along!
