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Tomato Sauce

3.8

(2)

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Tomato SauceKeith Ferris/The Culinary Instit

Tomatoes, originally native to South America, were not introduced to Italy until the sixteenth century. Now, of course, it's almost impossible to think of Italian cuisine without dozens of delicious tomato-based dishes coming to mind.

Recipe information

  • Yield

    Makes 6 servings

Ingredients

3 Tbsp olive oil
2 yellow onions, finely diced
8 cloves garlic, minced
2 1/2 lb plum (Roma) tomatoes, peeled, seeded, and chopped
1 Tbsp chopped fresh basil
Salt and freshly ground pepper

Preparation

  1. Step 1

    Heat the olive oil in a large saucepan over medium-high heat. Add the onions and sautƩ until translucent, about 6 minutes. Add the garlic and sautƩ until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add the tomatoes, bring the sauce to a boil, reduce the heat, and simmer for 20-25 minutes. Add the basil and simmer for 5 minutes more. Taste and season with salt and pepper.

  2. Variation: Canned Tomato Sauce

    Step 2

    Replace the fresh tomatoes with whole canned tomatoes that have been seeded and coarsely chopped. (Reserve the juices to add to the pot as well.) Be sure to taste the tomatoes before starting the sauce. If the tomatoes need extra body or flavor, sautƩ 1/4-1/3 cup tomato paste with the onions after the onions are translucent. Or replace half of the whole tomatoes with tomato purƩe.

From Cooking at Home by The Culinary Institute of America, (C) Ā© 2003 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
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