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Tomato sauce pointers?

  • Thread starter Monkey
  • Start date
Hello all, my tomato crop really exceeded my expectations this year so I'm planning on trying my hand at making a meat sauce for pasta and freezing it for use whenever. However, I've never made a sauce with fresh tomatoes, so I was looking for any pointers or good recipes anyone might have. I know how to blanch and seed, but anything else would be appreciated.
 
You can buy seasoning kits at Walmart. Its with the canning stuff. They have pizza sauce, spaghetti sauce, salsa and chili, I think. Really makes things simple.
 
Too bad you aren't closer, I have been blessed with a bumper crop of Basil...

Lydia's basic recipe:
2½ pounds ripe plum tomatoes
1 cup onion, minced
3 tablespoons olive oil
Salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste
8 leaves fresh basil, minced


Directions

With the point of a paring knife cut out and discard the stem bases of the tomatoes, removing small cones about 1/4-inch deep, then lightly cut X-shapes on the tomatoes' opposite ends.

Bring water to a boil in a large saucepan, drop in the tomatoes, and cook 5 minutes. With a slotted spoon, transfer the tomatoes to a colander, run cold water over them, and slip their skins off with your fingers.

In a nonreactive saucepan, lightly sauté the onion in the olive oil. Add the tomatoes, crushing each directly over the pan as it is added. Add the reserved juice if the tomatoes have been seeded. Season to taste and simmer 20 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add the basil before serving.


Some add sugar to soften the acidity



my personal fav spaghetti sauce recipe (you could adapt to your needs)
(from America's test kitchen books)

Use either Muir Glenn or Tuttoroso crushed tomatoes because they use a lower processing temperature in the canning process and therefore are fresher tasting than other brands. Recipe Notes: According to the chefs, grating the onions instead of chopping allows them to carmelize more quickly. The butter is used because saturated fats helps the onions stay sweet. Olive oil contains unsaturated fats that react with an enzyme in the onion that can result in a bitter taste. Using crushed tomatoes is preferable to other forms. The chefs apparently expended a great deal of effort in developing this simple recipe so it is suggested that it be followed closely in order to acheive a fresh tasting sauce from canned tomatoes."
Ingredients
o 1/4 cup onions, grated
o 2 tablespoons butter
o 1/4 teaspoon dried oregano
o 1/2 teaspoon salt
o 2 garlic cloves, crushed
o 1 (28 ounce) cans crushed tomatoes
o 1/4 teaspoon sugar
o 1 tablespoon olive oil
o 2 tablespoons fresh basil, chopped
Directions
1. Melt butter in saucepan over medium heat. Add 1/4 cup grated onion. Saute 2 minutes. Add oregano and 1/2 tsp salt. Cook with stirring 3 minutes until onions begin to brown. Add crushed garlic. Cook 30 seconds. Add crushed tomatoes and sugar. Turn heat to high and cook with stirring until simmering. Turn heat to medium low. Simmer 10 minutes. Remove from heat. Stir in olive oil and basil. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Serve over pasta.


(the Muir Glenn tomatoes are amazing, best canned tomatoes evar imho :) Av)
its quick and easy too
 
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Thanks, a lot. I gotta try and finds some basil... You you just use a rough chop, or a chiffonade or does it matter how much the leaves bruise?
 
After pondering on it, I don't know if there would be any advantage to it or not, I just do a rough chop.
I think you do want to avoid over handling though, seems like I remember someone telling me not to just rip and tear.
Basil releases its flavor very easily and very quickly.

Just watering the plants fills the area with their smell, fresher is definitely better IMHO
 
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