Let’s Make Pizza Sauce!
- 5 pounds of fresh cored whole tomatoes
- 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
- 2 medium onions, chopped
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- ¾ teaspoon dried basil
- ¾ teaspoon dried thyme
- ¾ teaspoon dried oregano
- 1¾ teaspoons salt
- ½ teaspoon freshly ground pepper
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste
Step One - Prepare the Tomatoes:
- Bring a large pot of water to a boil.
- Using a knife, make a small X at the very bottom of each tomato. Plunge the tomatoes into the boiling water and hold there until the skins are loosened (use tongs to protect your own skin!).
- Transfer the boiled tomatoes to a bowl of ice water for one minute.
- With a paring knife, peel the the tomato’s skin, starting with the X at the bottom.
- Chop each tomato, keeping all the juice.
Step Two - Simmer:
- Heat the oil in a dutch oven over medium heat.
- Add the chopped onions and stir while cooking to a golden brown (about 4-6 minutes). Then add the garlic and cook for an additional minute.
- Add the tomatoes (and any juice), basil, thyme, oregano, salt, and pepper. Bring to a boil.
- Reduce the heat and simmer until the sauce thickens into the desired consistency (about two hours).
- Taste your sauce and season it with more salt and pepper to your liking.
Step Three - Blend:
- After simmering, transfer the sauce into a blender. Add the tomato paste and blend until smooth. Be careful when you blend this hot liquid!
Your pizza sauce is now ready! You can cover its container and put it in the refrigerator for up to three days, or freeze the sauce for later use for up to six months!
References:
https://en.oxforddictionaries.com/explore/is-a-tomato-a-fruit-or-a-vegetable
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/11192026
http://www.compoundchem.com/2014/10/02/tomatoes/
http://www.eatingwell.com/recipe/250096/homemade-pizza-sauce/
Image Credits:
Buissinne, Steve. “Bush Tomatoes”. Released into the public domain. Uploaded on 3/3/2017 from publicdomainpictures.net
Chaffin, Holly. “Pizza Slice”. Released into the public domain. Uploaded on 3/3/2017 from publicdomainpictures.net
Denyer, Circe. “Pizza Sauce”. Released into the public domain. Uploaded on 3/4/2017 from publicdomainpictures.net