How to Make Your Own Tomato Sauce

If asked, I’d say the most abused vegetable is the tomato. Tomato sauce is mostly to blame. In cans, jars and packets; on frozen pizza and microwave manicotti, most of it is a smear on the luscious fruit that gives it its name. If you’ve been satisfied with the overred, oversalted commercial product, make your own, just once, and you’ll see what I mean.

Look for tomatoes that are a rich orange and just too soft for slicing. Small black or pale spots are OK--you can excise them after peeling. Year-round, I’ve discovered it’s easier to find good Italian plum tomatoes than any other variety. They’re small and you need patience to peel them, but it’s worth it.

Use this sauce anywhere you’d use store-bought sauce on lasagna and other baked pastas. Omit the basil and substitute chili powder, oregano, ground cumin and cayenne pepper, and use it in Mexican dishes. (Nutrient note: If you prepare the sauce in a cast-iron pot, you can toss your iron supplements away; one cup will give you a week’s worth of iron.)

FRESH TOMATO SAUCE

3 pounds tomatoes

2 tablespoons olive oil

4 cloves garlic, crushed

1 small white onion, chopped

1/4 cup white wine

1/4 cup fresh basil leaves, minced

1/4 cup fresh oregano leaves, minced

Salt, pepper

Plunge tomatoes into boiling water to cover and let boil 15 to 30 seconds. Remove with slotted spoon. When cool enough to handle, peel, core and seed. Place in large measuring cup or bowl with handle and set aside.

Heat olive oil in medium saucepan. Add garlic and saute briefly. When garlic just starts to brown, remove and discard it.

Add onion to oil in pan and saute until tender and translucent. In one motion, pour tomatoes into oil. Bring mixture to boil, cover, reduce heat and simmer 30 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Puree hot tomatoes in food processor, blender or food mill. Return puree to stove. Stir in wine, basil and oregano. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Simmer gently 5 minutes more. Makes about 3 cups tomato sauce.