This is a multi use, work horse in the kitchen, kind of a sauce. I make a vat of it every couple of months and freeze it in one cup containers. I use it in pasta dishes, as a base for soups and stews, as a sauce for layered polenta gratin, a spoonful here, a spoonful there...the list is endless. And there is also the fact that your house smells delicious while you make it.
Makes 6 cups and 12 ice cubes (that can be thrown into sauces as needed)
1 28 oz can of tomatoes; I tend to buy San Marzano crushed tomatoes for this as it makes a big difference in the sauce
1 16 oz can of tomato concentrate
1 8 oz can tomato paste
2 cups water
1 bunch basil
1/2 bunch Italian parsley, leaves only
1/2 large white onion, peeled
4 cloves garlic, crushed and peeled
1/2 carrot or 1/4 tsp sugar
2 Tbps red wine
1/2 tsp Italian seasoning or Herbes de Provence
Salt to taste
1 tsp olive oil
If you want a smooth tomato sauce, cut the onion in 3 and leave the garlic whole. You will blend everything later. If you want a chunky tomato sauce, now would be the time to chop the garlic and onion.
Add the olive oil, onions, garlic, dried seasoning and tomato paste to a large stockpot and cook over medium heat for a few minutes, stirring constantly, until the tomato paste turns a slightly deeper red. I have found that doing this gets rid of the slightly tinny taste that tomato paste always seems to have.
Add one cup of the water, the stems from the bunch of basil and half the leaves and allow to cook until big bubbles are starting to form at the top of the sauce. As soon as this happens, lower the heat as low as you can get it to go and add the tomato concentrate, the crushed tomatoes,the red wine, the remaining cup of water and the carrot or sugar (either of them serves to balance out the acidity of the sauce). Cover and cook for 2 hours, stirring from time to time.
Remove from the heat, add the parsley and the remaining basil leaves. Blend into as smooth a sauce as you want. Check for seasoning and add salt accordingly.
10/05/19 - new and improved version of this recipe, here.