How to Make an Homemade Garden Fresh Tomato Sauce
by Elaine (Massachusetts, USA)

My name is Elaine and this is my homemade garden fresh tomato sauce. As you can see it's a beautiful process which will take time, love and patience. Your home will smell delicious and you want to keep taste testing!

It's a must without doubt, I recommend you all to go through this method if you would like to make a great fresh tomato based sauce.

"Here's What You Need..."

1. 8-10 Qt. round or stock pot - stainless steel is the best with heavy gauge bottom - prevents burning.

We have an electric stove so gauging the temp is very important and needs to be watched vs. the flexibility if you have with a gas stove.

My wish list is a beautiful Italian Tuscany gas stove with cast iron grills some day!

2. Long wooden spoon for stirring! No aluminum type spoon - wooden is your best!

Ingredients for my garden fresh tomato sauce:

► 2-3 boxes of ripe tomatoes - you can mix different types - large with plum or cherry - adds wonderful flavor.

► 4 (per pot) medium to large beets washed and scrubbed with a scrubby side of sponge. Cut in quarters or larger - No need to peel

► 4 (per pot) medium carrots scrubbed with a scrubby side of sponge. Cut in half and then length wise - No need to peel

► 1 sweet small pepper (per pot) sweet is must No other - add whole No cutting. Also, No onions or regular peppers they can make bitter! You can add when you use with your recipes after the sauce is thawed.

► Herbs, this will get you a nice start you may wish to add more herbs as you go along its all family taste preference after this.

► Marjoram about 3 Tbsp. per pot to taste - I usually add more during the process - "to taste". But you will want to taste as you go - very important.

► Italian seasoning - 1 Tbsp. the ratio between marjoram and Italian seasoning is about 1:3 - One (1) part seasoning to three (3) parts marjoram. Again altered for taste as you go along.

► Oregano - 1/4 to 1/2 tsp. for taste

► Basil - Pinches over the pot during the cooking process - Wonderful herb but can take over the taste to use with a few pinches. If you can add fresh basil even better I suggest maybe 3-4 leaves at a time - pinch off with your finger in the middle to top of plant - you should be able to smell the fragrance.

► Fresh garlic cut in half. Throw away any garlic that has any brown to it once you peel - use what looks fresh only.

► Fill a cruet bottle with up to 1/2 garlic depends upon how your family likes garlic - we love and use daily so we go for 1/2 the bottle. Fill the bottle with oil - easy if you use a Funnel. Let stand on your counter for a few days (at least 2 days) if possible before you start the sauce.

TIP!
Most important I use Filippo Berio "extra virgin olive oil" cold press green label - wonderful website Filippo Berio as well with beautiful recipes.

We go through a can of the oil about every six weeks we use the oil and garlic on almost all our beef, chicken and of course salads and sauces.

It's a staple on our counter with the other cruet bottle filled with Italian red wine and vinegar - perfect for salads! Just need to find the natural brands without added ingredients.

I use both of the above to sauté so many dishes.

Ok back to the recipe!

Preparation:

1. Wash tomatoes with a hose while they are in the box - this is what we do - we sit on our piazza and cut up and prepare - certainty your kitchen sink is fine too!

2. Cut up tomatoes - no need to be fancy - remember it will all dissolve in the sauce including the seeds and skins.

3. While you are working on your tomatoes start your pot - low to medium heat - add a good amount of the oil and garlic about 2 Tbsp. so you have a nice sheen rolling around the bottom of the pot.

4. Get the oil nice and warm (not boiling) just nice and warm, you want a hot warm if that makes sense.

5. You do want to remove any brown spots and the green ends, just cut off. Quarters are fine and keep adding to your cooking pot until 3/4 full.

6. For cherry I throw in whole - for plum I cut off the one end that has green from the stem and just throw in whole - don't worry if they don't completely dissolve they add a wonderful texture.

7. Get a good "almost boil" this is tricky it's a good heat where you can see the water evaporating off the top - it's "red foam" that comes down to a nice thick sauce and creates a wonderful taste.

8. This process can take a few hours. I go slow and take a full day, but should schedule at least 6 hours.

9. Here's the fun part wait a good 1 1/2 hour before adding herbs, then begin stir gently throughout the sauce and keep adding to taste throughout the process. Stop before within an hour of completion.

10. Add your beets and carrots about 1/2 through the process and simmer on low for the rest of the cooking - tricky not too low, you want to see the "red foam" on top that's the secret to keeping the taste - I think!

11. Add your fresh garlic about 3/4 through the process with the pepper - keep tasting peppers are tricky an too much time can make bitter vs. sweet - the peppers are tricky but done right add a wonderful taste.

TIP!
Remember to taste all, sometimes I add more or less depending on how I want each batch to taste. Garlic, more oil, sweeter with beets, just depends on your taste.

"Lets keep doing my garden fresh tomato sauce..."

When cool done completely - I cover my sauce tightly and leave overnight on the piazza if a cool by night, if not I leave on the stove.

I must be honest with you I've been doing this for years, but my husband would prefer the refrigerator, but the pots simply won't fit.

So if you have bowls or something you can transfer into and have room in the fridge you may prefer.

You will also have whole beets, carrots and your pepper still in the sauce, I bag all with the sauce.

Important when you defrost! Throw the pepper away do not warm up with the thawed out sauce, it will make it bitter and change the taste. Yes peppers are tricky business!

"How to Freeze Garden Fresh Tomato Sauce!"

You'll Need...

1. I place the double bag inside a mixing bowl near the pot.

TIP!
Place a dish cloth between the pot and bowl for spillage.

2. This part will depend how much do you want in each bag, one (1) jar of sauce is about 24-28 ounces, so this will depend on your family needs.

3. I typically, add 5 cups so that would be the 4 cup plus one extra ladle. Then ladle into the measuring cup and sit the bag in the bowl and transfer into the bag.

4. Remove air and seal let sit on the counter flat down as you complete the other bags.

5. Lay flat to freeze in the freezer - you may want to place some wax paper between bags so they don't stick to each other.

6. Check during freezing so if they are sticking you can wiggle them around, I had to learn this part.

"Final Recommendations and Thoughts..."

Well, I think I've got it all covered but if you have any questions about my garden fresh tomato sauce just let me know.

Ask about Elaine's garden fresh tomato sauce:
You Can Contact Me Through Attilio's Contact Page by Clicking Here...

I've got to go get tomatoes tomorrow morning so if your home I'll drop off some of my sauce to see if you guys like!

I like to make a loaf of homemade bread and save a little before freezing for a little taste test!

I keep frozen until about December and then begin making spaghetti with meat sauce, lasagna, stuffed shells plus much more!

I think you'll enjoy Filippo Berio's Website for beautiful recipes as well!

My dream one day is to travel to Tuscany to attend some cooking classes in a little Tuscany farm house! Bella!

Have a wonderful day and remember when you begin enjoy!

Ciao!
Elaine
(Massachusetts, USA)