A few years back, my koumbara's Sicilian mother-in-law taught me everything there is to know about tomato sauce, I feel like I graduated summa cum laude 😂. I now make fresh sauce for my family at the drop of a hat that everyone can enjoy. With a little acid cutting technique, even people with sensitive stomachs, including my 1 year old, enjoy this sauce. As long as you keep some simple ingredients in stock, you will never have to buy a jar of sauce again. This is my own version that I make when I run out of my own homemade canned raw sauce (recipe will come within the coming months!). We love the recipe because it is...
Bold
Fragrant
Simple
Ingredients
In parenthesis are the brands that I prefer
1 28oz can tomato sauce (Red Pack or your own canned sauce)
1 13 oz can whole crushed tomatoes (Kyknos Greek Canning Company)
1 6 oz can tomato paste (Red Pack)
1 medium yellow onion, chopped
4-6 fresh basil leaves (can be previously frozen, do not substitute*)
1/4-1/2 teaspoon baking soda (the one from the fridge)
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
Pinch of sugar
Salt
Pepper
*Most packaged basil, even the frozen cubes, have acidic preservatives which will sour your sauce. You are better off skipping the basil than ruining your sauce! You can replace it with dried if you must.
Directions
1. In a large pot on medium-high heat, heat the olive oil and sauté the onions with a pinch of salt until they are translucent
2. Add basil and pepper and combine to wilt basil (1-2 minutes)
3. Reduce heat to medium-low, add tomato sauce, crushed tomatoes, tomato paste and bring to the point where it begins to bubble
4. Add baking soda and stir to combine until all the bubbles dissolve (it will fizz as it cuts the acid)
5. Add sugar, check the flavor, then add salt and pepper as desired
6. Simmer on low for 15 minutes or more to thicken, stir occasionally
Notes and Tips
To serve you can add:
Extra fresh basil
Fresh cracked pepper
A dollop of ricotta cheese
Grated cheese
Red pepper flakes (for an arrabbiata kick!)
-The sauce holds up well in the fridge for 5-7 days, store in a jar or air tight container
-You can serve the sauce on the first day with pasta, a few days later you can use the sauce to make a meat dish (meatloaf, beef stew, chicken parm, etc.)
-You can add garlic to the dish if you like - just after the onions begin to sweat, add 3 cloves of minced and finish sautéing and continue following the recipe
-Bottom line: the higher quality tomatoes, the better the sauce.