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| Tomato Sauce |
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An absolute basic of Italian cooking, traditional tomato sauce
to accompany pasta and rice or cook meat and fish.
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| N.B. If you are using fresh tomatoes you can either remove the
skin immediately or at the end. To remove the skin before cooking,
plonk the tomatoes into boiling water for a few seconds, remove
them and holding them on the tines of a fork peel them. Use drop
tomatoes, if you can find them, or ones that contain less water.
If you wish to cook the peel with the tomato you can either sieve
it out at the end or blend it into the sauce with the blender.
Many wish to keep the peel for its nutritional qualities.
Heat the olive oil in the saucepan and add the onion. Cook on gentle heat so as not to burn the onion. When golden add the celery and the tomato. Season for salt and pepper and add a tbsp of sugar. Cook on gentle heat for about 30 minutes, giving an occasional stir. It will darken in colour and thicken noticeably. Add a few basil leaves and cook another 5 minutes. The sauce is good both left in bits or sieved depending on the dish. If you use and electric blender you should allow it to rest for a quarter of and hour to let the air out before using it. It deep freezes very well and lasts a few days in the refrigerator. |
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