Fresh tomato sauce

Name: Fresh tomato sauce
Cook time: 30 min
Cuisine: Italian
Ingredients: 500g ripe tomatoes, cored, seeded and roughly sliced; 1 onion, sliced; 2 cloves garlic, sliced; 1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil; salt and freshly ground black pepper

Stephanie Alexander

October 19, 2011

Time:< 30 mins

A simple tomato sauce that can be varied endlessly. Add a chopped chilli or a roasted a peeled red capsicum at the beginning of cooking. For a smoother sauce, pass the mixture through the food mill's medium disc. For a thicker sauce, reduce the sauce in a pan over a simmer mat, stirring frequently. For a thinner sauce, add 1/2 cup red wine (or sherry for a Spanish accent), water or meat stock.

Ingredients

500g ripe tomatoes, cored, seeded and roughly sliced
1 onion, sliced
2 cloves garlic, sliced
1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
salt and freshly ground black pepper

Method

Tumble the tomato, onion and garlic with oil and put into a saucepan (or spread in a baking dish into which the mixture will fit without too much extra space). Cook over a moderate heat for about 15 minutes (or bake at 180ºC, tightly covered with foil, for at least 1 hour until the tomato has collapsed, the skins are wrinkled and golden brown and the juices are flowing). When the tomato and onion are soft, press everything through the coarsest disc of a food mill. Season to taste.

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