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Classic Tomato Sauce

This Italian-American Classic is a staple in all households and can serve as the base to hundreds of entrees, pastas, soups, and sides. This sauce can be used in everything from Spaghetti to Cioppino, to its very own creamy tomato bisque.

Prep:

15

minutes

Cook:

180

minutes

TOtal:

195

minutes

Ingredients

  • 6 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
  • 1 each yellow onion (peeled & small diced)
  • 8 cloves garlic (peeled & chopped)
  • 4 teaspoons fresh thyme (chopped)
  • 2 tablespoons fresh basil (chiffonade)
  • 2 tablespoons fresh italian parsley (chopped)
  • 4 pounds of fresh tomatoes (diced)
  • 1 tablespoon of tomato paste
  • 1 pinch of nutmeg (freshly grated)
  • 1 each red pepper (seeded & diced)
  • 1/2 cup of red wine
  • Salt to taste (about 1 ½ tablespoons)
  • Black pepper to taste (about ¼ teaspoon)

Instructions

  1. Start by cutting the onions, the red peppers, the garlic, and the tomatoes. Set them aside separately.
  2. Heat a heavy bottom pot on high heat and add the olive oil. Add the onions and about ½ teaspoon of salt and cook on medium-low heat until the onions start to become translucent and begin to caramelize (about 5-6 minutes).
  3. Once the onions turn a nice golden-brown color, add the diced red peppers and another ½ teaspoon of salt and continue to cook for another 2 minutes.
  4. Add the chopped garlic and continue to cook for another 2 minutes or until the garlic is toasted nicely.
  5. Add the nutmeg and toast briefly (About 1 minute).
  6. Add the tomato paste and mix everything together until the paste is uniformly distributed. Continue to cook on medium-low heat for 2-3 minutes, stirring often.
  7. Add the red wine to deglaze, stirring to make sure nothing sticks to the bottom of the pot.
  8. Add the fresh tomatoes and season lightly with another tablespoon of salt and a few cracks of fresh cracked black pepper. Bring the sauce to a simmer and then reduce the heat to a very low simmer and continue to cook for about 3 hours, stirring and checking periodically.
  9. After 3 hours, remove the pot from the stove and allow the sauce to cool slightly before pureeing. (About 15-20 minutes)
  10. After the sauce has cooled slightly, add the basil, the thyme, and the parsley and puree using a stick blender or stand blender until relatively smooth (like store bought tomato sauce). Season the sauce with additional salt and fresh cracked pepper to taste and serve with your desired foods.

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