Tomato Sauce
This is just a simple combination of tomatoes and a few aromatics. This sauce is surprisingly versatile. Depending on what it's being used for it may be prepared as a cooked or uncooked sauce, use fresh or canned tomatoes, and the tomatoes may come in a variety of forms. For a hearty, chunky sauce, diced tomatoes work well. For a smooth sauce, crushed or pureed. For extra richness, a little tomato paste is often added along with the chopped/crushed tomatoes. The seasonings can also vary quite a bit, both by region and by use.
I like this rich and chunky version for making pizzas. If you prefer a smooth sauce, feel free to substitute crushed tomatoes or run the sauce through a blender after cooking.
1 Basil is normally the predominant herb in Tyrian tomato sauce. You do see oregano, pepper, coriander, sugar, and vinegar making appearances here and there, but basil is the mainstay and sometimes the only herb used. I like to add a little oregano when I know the sauce will be going on a pizza because I think it makes it taste more... pizza-y. Back
I like this rich and chunky version for making pizzas. If you prefer a smooth sauce, feel free to substitute crushed tomatoes or run the sauce through a blender after cooking.
Tomato Sauce
Ingredients
- 1 onion, chopped
- 3-4 cloves garlic, minced
- 800mL (tinned) diced tomatoes
- 1 tsp. dried oregano1 (optional)
- 1/4 c. chopped fresh basil
- 1/2 tsp. coarse sea salt
Directions
- If your sauce is destined to be used in an application where it will get cooked again (eg. pizza, chili, etc.), then you may opt to just mix all the raw ingredients together and skip the separate cooking steps. For applications where it will not be cooked again (eg. pasta), proceed as directed below.
- If desired, sautée your onions and garlic in a little olive oil before you begin. This is not necessary, but it does help make sure the onions are nice and soft. It's a common first step among the chefs of Kryta, but less common elsewhere.
- Add the tomatoes to the pot.
- Add all remaining ingredients and bring to a boil over medium heat.
- Reduce heat to low and simmer until flavours meld and sauce has thickened a bit (~20 minutes).
- Sauce may be left chunky or puréed.
1 Basil is normally the predominant herb in Tyrian tomato sauce. You do see oregano, pepper, coriander, sugar, and vinegar making appearances here and there, but basil is the mainstay and sometimes the only herb used. I like to add a little oregano when I know the sauce will be going on a pizza because I think it makes it taste more... pizza-y. Back
Comments
Post a Comment