I posted my Go-To tomato sauce recipe a couple of years ago as well as the quick version of it but, since I have improved on the recipe since, I am posting the new version as well. I made a vat of it for yesterday's spaghetti and meatballs and also so that I could stash some in the freezer for future use. It is amazing the uses that one can find for these convenient one cup portions throughout the fall and winter - stews, casseroles, soups, pizzas, etc. And, ofcourse, more spaghetti and meatballs.
This makes about 6 cups of sauce and an ice cube tray worth of tomato sauce ice cubes (lovely to have on hand to pop one into a sauce).
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 puree (passata)
1 8 oz can tomato paste
1-2 cups water
1 bunch basil, stems removed, leaves chopped finely
1/2 bunch Italian parsley, stems removed, leaves chopped finely
1 Tbsp fresh sage leaves
1 large white onion, peeled and roughly chopped
4 cloves garlic, crushed and peeled
2 carrots, scrubbed and chopped into chunks
1/2 tsp dried oregano
Salt to taste
2 tsps olive oil
Add the olive oil, onions, garlic, dried oregano, sage, tomato paste and some salt to a large stockpot and cook over medium heat for a few minutes, stirring constantly, until the tomato paste turns a slightly deeper red. This gets rid of the tinny taste that tomato paste seems to have straight out of the can.
Add the carrots, 1/2 the basil, 1/2 the parsley, the tomato puree, the crushed tomatoes and 1 cup of the water to the pan. Stir well to combine, scraping the bottom of the pan so that the tomato paste doesn't burn and stick. Salt again. Cover, lower the heat, and cook for 2 hours, stirring from time to time to avoid burning or overflowing.
Remove from the heat, add the remaining parsley and basil leaves. Stir to combine so that the added leaves will wilt. Blend into as smooth a sauce as you like. Add the additional cup of water if you feel the sauce is too thick. Check for seasoning and add salt accordingly.
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