Tomato Sauce for CCChallenge

As I mentioned in my last post, I made tomato sauce as one of the condiments for week 3 of buffet on table. Later when I did some research, I was unsure if it falls in condiments category. I changed my mind and replaced it with basil pesto.

This is a quick and easy tomato sauce that can be used for pasta or any other recipe that calls for tomato sauce. I used some of the sauce for my pasta and froze the rest. This sauce is thick and, I felt I could use it in curries and also to make a quick tomato chutney. I have not used it in curries or for a chutney yet, but will try very soon.

This tomato sauce recipe is great to use up those ripe, overripe tomatoes or surplus tomato harvest from the garden. The best tomatoes for this recipe are very ripe, cracked or slightly bruised tomatoes. I used vine ripe tomatoes but any variety can be used. The key is the tomatoes have to be very ripe. On the day I prepared the sauce it was sunny all day and suddenly became cloudy with overcast sky just before the photo session. I did the best I could with available natural light.

Source: New York Times
Total Time: 25 - 30 minutes
Preparation: 10 minutes
Cooking: 15 - 20 minutes
Yields: 1 ½ - 1 ¾ cups

Ingredients:

2 ½ lbs. Tomatoes or 8 large Vine Ripe Tomatoes
1 tsp. Salt (adjust to taste)
1 Clove Garlic, chopped
¾ tbsp. - 1 tbsp. Tomato Paste
1 ¾ tbsp. Olive Oil
1 Bay Leaf
1 sprig Basil, about 8 leaves

Preparation:

Wash tomatoes and cut each into two, horizontally. Facing the cut side of the tomato against a large hole of the grater box, grate the tomatoes and discard the skin. I got about 3 ¾ cups of tomato pulp. I kept the seeds but if one wishes, before grating the cut tomatoes squeeze out the seeds and discard.
Transfer tomato pulp to a wide saucepan, add rest of the ingredients and bring to a boil on high heat.
Reduce the heat to medium low and brisk simmer it. There should be lot of bubbles when the saucing is simming.
Stir occasionally and simmer the sauce until it is reduced to almost half. The sauce should be medium thick. It took about 10 - 15 minutes and after reducing, the sauce measured 1 ½ - 1 ¾ cups.
Taste and adjust salt. Discard the bay leaf.
Store in a tight container for up to five days in a refrigerate or freeze.
I used some of it for my pasta sauce and frozen the leftovers in a freezer safe container.

Note:

I used the sauce for pasta and froze the remaining sauce.
The sauce has fresh tomato taste and felt I could use it even in curries. I still have not used it in my Indian cooking yet but will try it very soon with the remaining sauce.

This day in 2014: Russian Baklazhannaia Ikra ~ Poor Man’s Caviar