Every cook has their own version of tomato sauce, this one is mine, and it works great in so many dishes.
My Tomato Sauce
Ingredients:
1 large Shallot finely chopped (about 1/3 cup)
2 medium garlic cloves sliced paper thin *
3T extra virgin olive oil
1/2 t kosher salt
1/2 t fresh black pepper
1/4 t red pepper flakes
6 sundried tomatoes in oil sliced thin
2T unsalted butter
1 28oz Rienzi peeled tomatoes
1 6oz can Rienzi tomato paste
Equipment:
2qt sauce pan
spatula
chefs knife
Method: Place the shallots in a pan with the olive oil over med-low heat. After two minutes add the salt, pepper, red pepper & garlic. Continue to cook over low heat for 5-7 minutes (being careful not to let it brown (thats sauting and were sweating).
Add the juice from the can of peeled tomatoes to the pan. Take the peeled tomatoes out of the can one at a time and clean out the seeds over your sink, this is messy but seeds make sauce bitter. Squish the tomatoes into pieces as you put them in the pan**, add remaining juice from can (its ok if theres a few seeds). Stir and keep over low heat for 2-3 minutes until well incorporated. Add tomato paste and continue stirring again till well incorporated.
Add the sliced sundried tomatoes and allow to slowly simmer over very low heat for about 20 minutes allowing the flavors to meld together Be sure to stir every 1-2 minutes so you dont burn the sauce in the bottom of the pan. After twenty minutes add the butter and stir to incorporate. This will slightly thicken the sauce and add a velvety sheen to it.
Add to you favorite pasta dish and enjoy.
* If your knife isnt sharp enough to slice paper thin wafers of garlic go ahead and give it a fine chop.
** This is a chunky sauce if you want one smoother blend the peeled tomatoes rather than squishing them.
