Fresh Tomato Sauce

This sauce is best made with very ripe tomatoes. If you wish, you may peel the tomatoes before chopping. Simply cut an "x" in the bottom of each tomato and plunge the tomato into boiling water for 30 seconds and remove. The skins will come off easily.

Ingredients

1 tablespoon olive oil
1 onion, finely chopped
1 large garlic clove, minced
3 cups chopped ripe tomatoes (about 2 pounds)
One 6-ounce can tomato paste
1 tablespoon chopped fresh basil, or 1 teaspoon dried basil
1 teaspoon minced fresh oregano, or 1/4 teaspoon dried oregano
2 cups hot water or vegetable stock
1/2 cup dry red wine
1 bay leaf
Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste

Method

Heat the oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add the onion and cook, uncovered, until softened, about 5 minutes.

Add the garlic and cook 1 minute longer.

Stir in the tomatoes, tomato paste, and dried basil and oregano, if using, and cook uncovered for 5 minutes, stirring frequently.

Add the water or stock, wine, and bay leaf, and bring to a boil, stirring to blend.

Reduce heat to low, season with salt and pepper, and simmer uncovered for about 30 minutes, or until the desired consistency is reached. If using fresh basil and oregano, stir in at this time. Taste and adjust the seasoning. Remove the bay leaf before serving.

If not using immediately, transfer to a container and allow to cool. Cover and refrigerate for up to 5 days.

Makes about 4 cups.

About The Author

ROBIN ROBERTSON is the author of five cookbooks: 366 Healthful Ways to Cook Tofu and Other Meat Alternatives, 366 Simply Delicious Dairy-Free Recipes, The Soy Gourmet, Some Like It Hot, and The Vegetarian Chili Cookbook. She writes a weekly newspaper column on vegetarian cooking and is a Vegetarian Times contributor.
JON ROBERTSON is the author of The Golden Thread of Oneness: A journey Inward to the Universal Consciousness. He is the senior writer and editor at A.R.E. Press. This recipe was excerpted with permission from The Sacred Kitchen, ©1999, published by New World Library, www.nwlib.com. Toll free ordering number for New World Library, 800-972-6657 Ext. 52.

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