Print Recipe
Basic Sauce
About this recipe
Direct from Aunt Ivana. This is a simple tomato sauce that can be used in dishes like Veal Parmesan and Cannelloni, or served over spaghetti as a nice change.
Instructions
Place a saucepot on the stove; turn heat to just under medium and fry:
- 2 tbsp. olive oil,
- ¼ cup cooking onion (diced),
- 1 clove garlic (minced),
- ½ cup carrot (diced),
- ½ cup celery or zucchini (diced),
- ½ tbsp. basil, ½ tsp. salt, and ¼ tsp. chili or black pepper.
Let everybody get to know each other for 3-4 minutes, and then add:
When the veggies look happy (after 6-7 minutes), add:
- 1 (28 oz.) can plum tomatoes (pour the entire contents into the pot),
- 2 tbsp. chopped fresh parsley.
Turn up heat to bring to a boil. When boiling, turn heat down and simmer, uncovered, for 20 minutes. Then pass contents through a food mill (using medium blade) or let cool and then blend. Serve with pasta or use in another recipe.
Notes
- To make a chunky garden sauce: blend your tomatoes before adding.
- Go easy on the garlic and onion since blending intensifies their flavour.
- If using fresh basil, add with the tomatoes and discard before blending.
- If blending, first let the sauce cool. Never put anything hot through a blender—it will explode!
- If making for another recipe, skip the garlic, use black pepper (not chili), and leave out the basil.
-
Instead of carrot, celery, and zucchini, use ½ red bell pepper (diced). Then add ½-1 cup table cream or half-and-half before blending. For a real treat, fry sausage pieces, mix them into the red pepper cream sauce, and put over fusilli. Then find yourself a king and serve it to him.