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this was my first attempt at making italian tomato sauce, or any tomato sauce, for that matter.
based on a friend's method, here are the ingredients that i used (not pictured: sherry and home-made chicken stock):
since the "store brand" was the best canned tomato available to me in this remote location, I used a slightly-larger amount of fresh cherry and yellow pear tomatoes with a few early girls, all from our garden.
there were also a few ingredients that i haven't yet decided on: thyme, laurel (bay) leaves and crushed red pepper flakes. they all would be authentic in italian sauce, so i will probably add them, but i am not sure at what amounts. since i plan to can this sauce in half-pint jars, i will most likely put 1 laurel leaf in each jar as i am filling the jar. as for the crushed red peppers, i will add a few if the sauce needs it, but otherwise, probably won't since my wife doesn't do well with hot spices. that leaves the thyme ~
........ok, i talked myself into it and will go add a tablespoon.
alright, one tablespoon of thyme is in ~ also took this pic of it as it is simmering:
so, here is the full adaptation that i am using; would have preferred fresh herbs, but the only fresh one i could get my hands on was basil:
•1 giant can (102 oz) diced tomatoes (i used a extra few fresh ones to make up for the difference between this and 4 28-oz cans)
•equivalent of 4 28-oz cans of chopped cherry and yellow pear tomatoes with a few early girls thrown in
•3/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
•3 medium yellow onions, chopped fine
•1 bulb (head) garlic, chopped very fine
•1/4 cup dried parsley (none fresh available here!)
•1 large package of fresh basil (about 1/2 cup)
•equivalent of 1/2 bottle (375 millileters) of paisano wine
•1 cup sherry
•1 cup chicken broth
•1 cup homemade chicken stock
•2 TBSP sea salt
•3 TBSP rosemary
•2 TBSP marjoram
•2 TBSP oregano
•1 TBSP freshly-ground black pepper
•equivalent of three 28-oz cans water
•1 TBSP thyme
•1 bay leaf per jar of sauce, added when canned
•i most likely won't add the crushed red pepper flakes unless it really needs it.
and the method:
in tall stock pot, heat olive oil and sautee onions for about 5 minutes, or until translucent, add garlic and saute another minute or three; do not allow the garlic to turn brown.
add all remaining ingredients, the tomatoes first and the three cans of water last.
bring to a boil, stirring constantly. reduce heat to a simmer and stir fairly often (once every 10 mintes or so) to prevent from sticking. after about an hour of simmering, crush tomatoes with a potato masher.
simmer 4 or 5 hours or until sauce is thickened to your taste. add salt and pepper to taste during the last hour of cooking.
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it's been simmering for about an hour, at least three more to go! i will go crush the tomatoes with a potato masher and let her simmer some more....
based on a friend's method, here are the ingredients that i used (not pictured: sherry and home-made chicken stock):
since the "store brand" was the best canned tomato available to me in this remote location, I used a slightly-larger amount of fresh cherry and yellow pear tomatoes with a few early girls, all from our garden.
there were also a few ingredients that i haven't yet decided on: thyme, laurel (bay) leaves and crushed red pepper flakes. they all would be authentic in italian sauce, so i will probably add them, but i am not sure at what amounts. since i plan to can this sauce in half-pint jars, i will most likely put 1 laurel leaf in each jar as i am filling the jar. as for the crushed red peppers, i will add a few if the sauce needs it, but otherwise, probably won't since my wife doesn't do well with hot spices. that leaves the thyme ~
........ok, i talked myself into it and will go add a tablespoon.
alright, one tablespoon of thyme is in ~ also took this pic of it as it is simmering:
so, here is the full adaptation that i am using; would have preferred fresh herbs, but the only fresh one i could get my hands on was basil:
•1 giant can (102 oz) diced tomatoes (i used a extra few fresh ones to make up for the difference between this and 4 28-oz cans)
•equivalent of 4 28-oz cans of chopped cherry and yellow pear tomatoes with a few early girls thrown in
•3/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
•3 medium yellow onions, chopped fine
•1 bulb (head) garlic, chopped very fine
•1/4 cup dried parsley (none fresh available here!)
•1 large package of fresh basil (about 1/2 cup)
•equivalent of 1/2 bottle (375 millileters) of paisano wine
•1 cup sherry
•1 cup chicken broth
•1 cup homemade chicken stock
•2 TBSP sea salt
•3 TBSP rosemary
•2 TBSP marjoram
•2 TBSP oregano
•1 TBSP freshly-ground black pepper
•equivalent of three 28-oz cans water
•1 TBSP thyme
•1 bay leaf per jar of sauce, added when canned
•i most likely won't add the crushed red pepper flakes unless it really needs it.
and the method:
in tall stock pot, heat olive oil and sautee onions for about 5 minutes, or until translucent, add garlic and saute another minute or three; do not allow the garlic to turn brown.
add all remaining ingredients, the tomatoes first and the three cans of water last.
bring to a boil, stirring constantly. reduce heat to a simmer and stir fairly often (once every 10 mintes or so) to prevent from sticking. after about an hour of simmering, crush tomatoes with a potato masher.
simmer 4 or 5 hours or until sauce is thickened to your taste. add salt and pepper to taste during the last hour of cooking.
---------------------------
it's been simmering for about an hour, at least three more to go! i will go crush the tomatoes with a potato masher and let her simmer some more....
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