Fresh Tomato Sauce for..... Everything!!!

Tomato Sauce. Not from paste, or can or tube. Made from simple FRESH ingredients that will capture the taste of summer all year long. Nothing fancy, true. You won't even have to cook it for hours and hours but it will taste like you did, best of all you'll be able to use it for pretty much anything! With pasta of course, on a Bruschetta, as a topping for Roast Chicken, over a fillet of fish or grilled / steamed / stir-fried vegetables, in pizza or any type of bread, etc etc you get the idea....

Be sure to get a good amount of Roma Tomatoes, nice and plump and ripe. Don't ever refrigerate them, leave them out on the counter to continue to ripen so don't buy what you can't use straight away. However, if you're lucky enough to get from your own garden or locally grown, you're in for a treat.

Here's what you will need to make the sauce:

12 - 18 Roma Tomatoes, chopped roughly
10 - 12 Garlic Cloves, chopped roughly
1/2 Onion, chopped roughly
A pinch of Cracked Red Pepper Flakes
1 - 2 Tbls Oregano, can be fresh (chopped) or dry
2 - 3 Tbls Red Wine Vinegar or Red Wine, optional
Salt and Pepper
3 - 4 Tbls Olive Oil
1 - 2 Tbls Sugar, optional

In a large pan add the Olive Oil, over medium high heat, bring to temperature. Now add the onions, garlic, red pepper flakes and stir for about 5 minutes until the onions get soft, don't let the garlic burn. Add the tomatoes and oregano, stir well.

Lower the heat to low and continue to cook until the tomatoes are almost broken down. Keep pressing them with spoon or potato masher so they will break down completely. You'll notice they will loose their water, keep cooking and it will cook out.

As soon as the water reduces, not all the way, you can add the vinegar or wine if you're adding it. Taste the sauce first and decide. You can also add salt and pepper. Give it a good stir, give it a couple of minutes and taste again. If it's acidic for you, add some sugar, otherwise leave it off. Sugar is used to balance out the acidity in tomatoes but it's a personal thing based on how it tastes to you.

Now turn off the heat and allow to rest. Taste the sauce after resting and decide if you want to add fresh herbs, more salt, pepper, sugar, vinegar or whatever. You can use right away or refrigerate for a rainy day when you're missing the sunshine.

I really hope you will make this sauce, you'll love the amazing flavor you can obtain from simple, every day ingredients and how lovely your dishes will be. Enjoy!

NOTE: Maybe you noticed that I didn't peel the tomatoes before cooking and yes, being trained in the Classic French Style I know what a big deal this is, but honestly I enjoy the whole tomato and don't mind peels nor seeds, but this is also your choice.

If you want to remove the peels: Make and "X" on the top of the whole tomato, you won't have to chop them. Place them in boiling water for a minute or two, you'll see the skin on the "X" begin to separate from the flesh, take them out at once and place in a bowl of ice water for a second to cool down. The peels will be easily removable now and the tomatoes can be put in the pan to make the sauce, you can press them by hand or use a spoon or potato masher and continue with the recipe as usual.

I should have also mentioned that if you don't want a chunky sauce you can blend it into a smooth one either in the blender or with an immersion blender, once more, it's your choice..