Tomato Sauce

*In the above photo, I added 3 tbsp heavy cream to the tomato sauce to create a vodka sauce. Garnish with parsley + enjoy!

Tomato sauce is probably the one thing I make most frequently because my brothers basically have it with every meal (they are on a strictly pasta diet). It’s super simple and requires little attention. This has a pretty long shelf life, so I love to freeze extra tomato sauce and keep a jar in the fridge at all times.

Ingredients

1 can crushed tomatoes

1 can puréed tomatoes

5 medium sized tomatoes on a vine - diced

2 cloves garlic - crushed and very roughly chopped

1 bay leaf

2 tsp garlic powder

2 tsp onion powder

1 tsp dried thyme

1 tsp oregano

Salt and pepper

EVOO

Start by cutting your tomatoes into small chunks. Pour a generous amount of EVOO to a pot (I like to use a pot that is larger in diameter and shorter than a pot you would use to boil pasta). Peel your garlic, cut off the ends, and smash it with the side of your knife. Add to the pot with the EVOO. After 30 secs, add the fresh diced tomatoes and sauté, about 5 mins. Next, add your canned crushed and puréed tomatoes. Combine with the garlic mixture. There should be no oil around the circumference of the pot. Add your bay leaf, garlic and onion powder, dried thyme, oregano, and salt and pepper. Let the tomato sauce come to a simmer, but keep on a low flame. If you notice the tomato sauce getting too thick, add water. The tomato sauce can cook from anywhere to 10 mins to 6 hours. Enjoy!