Fresh Tomato Sauce Recipe

How to make it

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• Begin by preparing your fresh tomatoes by blanching them. (If you're using canned, you can skip to step 3.)
• TO BLANCH FRESH TOMATOES: Bring a large pot of water to a boil, and make a bowl of ice water and a metal strainer ready, for scooping tomatoes out of the pot. Drop two or three tomatoes at a time into the boiling water and count to 10; scoop them out, then plunge them into the ice water to cool. (The skins should be loose; if not, leave the tomatoes in the boiling water a few seconds longer.)
• Core and chop the peeled tomatoes.
• Heat the oil in a medium-sized saucepan.
• Add onion, basil, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and a few pinches pepper.
• Saute over medium heat until the onion is soft, about 7-8 minutes
• Add the garlic and saute for 1-2 minutes.
• Add the wine and simmer a minute or two to reduce.
• When the pan is almost dry, add the tomatoes and the bay leaf.
• Reduce the heat to low and cook for 30 minutes.
• Add salt and pepper to taste.
• Makes about 2 cups.
• Tip #1: For a spicy tomato sauce seasoned with fresh chilies, add 1/2 teaspoon toasted cumin seed and a few pinches of cayenne to the onion; omit the wine. Puree 2-3 seeded jalapeno or serrano chilies and cook with the tomatoes. This sauce is delicious on spicy corn cakes or stuffed zucchini or peppers.
• Tip #2: Add a little sugar if the sauce is acidic. Or, I hear many Italians add finely grated carrot into their tomato sauce when it isn't adequately sweet. I've honestly never tried it.
• NOTE: Clearly, this isn't meant as a stand-alone side dish, but Group Recipes won't let me list it as a technique or homemade ingredient.