Simple Tomato Sauce Recipe


If your garden is like ours, there comes a time - usually some time in August - when the tomatoes are ready. It always seems to happen all at once. Two weeks of more tomatoes than one family can eat. Although you get a little tired of tomatoes, it is a great opportunity to make certain dishes that, under normal conditions, you would normally not hesitate to use canned tomatoes -- like simple red sauce.

This homemade tomato sauce recipe is adapted from Alice Water's cookbook, The Art of Simple Food (Clarkson Potter Publishers, 2007) This is one of our all time favorite cookbooks.

Directions:

1. Core tomatoes and plunge them one at a time into boiling water until their skins are loose - from 15 to 60 seconds.

2. Lift tomatoes out of the hot water and plunge them into a bowl of ice-cold water to stop the cooking. Drain and peel.

3. Cut the tomatoes in half horizontally and "coax" the seeds out into a bowl. Strain seeds and save the juice.

4. Put a heavy-bottom pot over medium heat and, when hot, pour in the olive oil.

5. Add garlic and when it starts to sizzle, immediately add the tomatoes and their juice with a large pinch of salt.

6. Cook at a simmer for 15 minutes.

For a smooth sauce, pass it through a food mill.

makes about 2 cups