Simple fresh tomato sauce

10 servings

Ingredients

Quantity Ingredient
HERB PUREE:
1 cup Basil leaves -- loosely packed
¼ cup Olive oil
⅓ cup Pine nuts
RED SAUCE:
5 packs Beefsteak tomatoes
1½ pounds Plum tomatoes
¾ cup Fruity olive oil
3 Stalks celery with leaves -- coarsely chopped
2 larges Onion -- coarsely chopped
3 Cloves garlic -- coarsely chopped
¼ cup Tomato paste
2 tablespoons Tomato paste
1 Sprig fresh oregano
½ cup Basil leaves
2 Sprigs Italian parsley
1 Dried red chile -- crumbled
1 teaspoon Red wine vinegar
½ teaspoon Brown sugar
Salt and pepper

Directions

Make the herb puree: Place the basil in a colander, rinse with boiling water, and drain. In a blender or food processor, combine the drained basil, olive oil, pine nuts and ¼ cup water. Puree at medium speed until smooth; set aside. Make the red sauce: Dip both types of tomatoes in boiling water and place in a colander to cool.

Slip off the skins, then squeeze the tomatoes over a bowl; reserve the juice. Cut the tomatoes into quarters and scoop out the seeds.

Coarsely chop the tomatoes; add to the bowl of reserved juice. In large dutch oven or other ovenproof heavy pot, warm ¼ cup of the olive oil over medium heat. Add the celery, onions and garlic and saute until the onions are translucent, 5 minutes. Add the tomatoes with their juice and the tomato paste and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to low, partially cover the pot, and simmer for 2 hours, stirring every 15 minutes. At each stirring, drizzle in 1 tbsp olive oil. Preheat the oven to 350. After the sauce has cooked for 2 hours, stir in the oregano sprig, whole basil leaves and parsley sprigs. Add the dried chilie, vinegar, brown sugar and black pepper.

Transfer the pot to the oven. Cover and cook until the sauce is dense and thick, 1 to 1½ hours. Correct the seasonings and remove the herb sprigs. Just before serving, swirl in 1 tbsp of the herb puree per portion.

Recipe By : New York Cookbook From: Meg Antczak Date: 08-23-95 (14:13) (159) Fido: Cooking

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