As an adult, I have never liked store-bought tomato sauce. I can’t quite put my finger on why - some sauces are too sweet, some too bland, most just have some kind of artificial or preservative taste. But when I was reading Super Tuscan, by Debi Mazar, I loved her recipe for Layered Polenta with Broccoli Rabe. More specifically, the sauce you make to create the polenta-lasagna. I have played around with it to make it a little bit more to my personal taste (shallots are a game changer) but the original is great too and I highly recommend her book! It is filled with wonderful recipes for a beautiful Tuscan meal - from cocktails and aperitif snacks to entrees and desserts.
As always, this is something that can be altered and adjusted to suit your taste. Don’t be afraid to experiment — just make sure whatever you use is quality, because a recipe this simple relies heavily on the fact that you are using quality ingredients. You can also double this recipe and freeze half or put some in the fridge for another day. Now, as always there are some notes about the ingredients:
San Marzano Tomatoes: Canned tomatoes are definitely not created equally. As I mention in my ratatouille recipe, San Marzano’s are the best. And not “San Marzano-style” but actual D.O.P./Certified San Marzano tomatoes. Cento makes them and you can find them at most stores. Plus there is just something fun about using tomatoes that have been grown in volcanic ash from Mount Vesuvius.
Fresh basil is key in flavor here, but if you can’t find it (some of the grocery stores here don’t sell it most of the year) use a basil paste. You can usually find these in tubes in the produce section. or in frozen cubes in the freezer aisle. If you use frozen, I recommend setting a cube or two out to defrost a few hours before making this.
Tomato Sauce for Everything
Ingredients
A little bit of olive oil
Half of a small red onion, chopped finely
2 shallots, chopped finely
3 cloves of garlic, minced (or 3 Tbs of the jarred, organic variety)
28 oz can of San Marzano whole, peeled tomatoes
A handful of chopped basil (or 3 Tbs paste or two cubes frozen)
Salt & Pepper (I highly recommend Trader Joe’s Garlic Salt)
Red Pepper flakes to taste (optional)
To make
Add onion and shallot to a pot with a splash of olive oil. Season them lightly with salt and pepper. Cook over medium for about 4 minutes (you are not trying to brown the onions).
While the onions cook, blend the canned tomatoes in a blender or food processor. Just enough so that there are no large chunks.
Add the garlic to the pot and cook for another minute or so until fragrant. Add the tomatoes and stir. Add the red pepper flakes if desired and stir again.
Take the heat down to low and let simmer for about 20 minutes until reduced.
Once reduced, stir in the basil and let reduce for a few more minutes.
Voila! You now have tomato sauce to use for pizzas, pasta, baked eggs, pretty much anything you can think of!