Tomatoes are still in abundance, and very temptingly displayed at my local organic shop. I buy the meaty Roma variety almost every week, mostly for salads. This week, however, I decided I was going to make a fragrant pasta sauce with them. With their succulent, juicy bite, they are especially good for this purpose!
If you’ve never made your own tomato sauce, this is definitely a recipe that will delight you with intense flavor and aroma. Besides perfectly ripe Roma tomatoes, you will also need a little patience. In the case of this sauce, about two hours’ worth.
Enjoy!
PS: Serve with spaghetti, fresh mozzarella and a scattering of Parmesan.
Slow-Cooked Roma Tomato Sauce
Serves 4
- 800g Roma tomatoes
- 2 tbsps olive oil
- 2 red onions, finely chopped
- 2 tbsps freshly-chopped herbs (I used oregano, thyme and rosemary)
- pinch of dried chili flakes
- 4 fat cloves of garlic, finely sliced
- 1 tbsp sugar
- 2 tbsps Balsamic vinegar
Score the tomatoes on the bottoms with a sharp knife and submerge them under boiling water for three minutes. Drain, rinse under cold water and remove their skins. Chop them up making sure you save all of their juices. Heat the oil in a heavy-bottomed pan and gently sauté the onions and herbs for 5 minutes. Add the chili flakes and cook for another minute before adding in the rest of the ingredients. Stir well, bring to a boil and allow to bubble for a minute or two. Reduce the heat to a simmer, cover the pan and allow the sauce to cook gently for a good two hours, stirring every now and then. Serve with fresh pasta, mozzarella, Parmesan and fresh basil.
