This recipe is way overdue. It has become a staple in my house and my family and I always say I am going to post it on the blog and I never have.
When I lost my job back in 2008, I had a lot of extra time on my hands. I thought it would be good to learn how to cook. So the first things I started with was this basic tomato sauce. It has evolved over time and is the base of so many meals. You can add meat sauce, meatballs, shrimp, use it for pizza sauce. The possibilities are endless!
This is something I make for my family when I visit Florida and they call it Auntie’s sauce. You see a trend here. (Auntie’s cookies, sauce) The recipe makes a good amount of sauce and one of the reasons why I started with it when I lost my job is, it is really inexpensive to make. A good jar will cost you around $8 these days and this makes about 3 jars for around $12.
I reuse glass jars that I have from my fridge to store the sauce.
On my last trip home, my brother-in-law renamed this “two date sauce” he said that I should make this on a second date and the guy would fall in love with me.
2 28oz cans San Marzano crushed tomatoes
4 stalks fresh celery
4 carrots
one onion
4 cloves of garlic
3 dry bay leaves
1/4 cup good olive oil
salt/pepper
Chop 4 cloves garlic and stir in with 1/4 olive oil on low. Let the garlic cook to a fragrance.
Add chopped onions and saute until translucent
Chop/prepare celery and carrots. Toss into onions and garlic. Add salt and pepper. Cook for about 10 minutes until carrots and celery are soft.
Add two cans of crushed tomatoes
Add 3 bay leaf
Stir every 10 minutes for at least an hour. If possible let simmer for over an hour.
Once the sauce is cooked remove the bay leaves.
Slowly add a little sauce to your Cuisinart food processor and blend together. It will become a thick and delicious sauce. If you want to go half and half smooth and chunky, you are welcome to it. Everyone has a preference.
I put these into glass jars and leave the lids off until they are cool to room temperature before moving to the fridge.
The sauce is delicious on the first day. You can add meat to the stovetop with garlic, olive oil, and onion and make an easy and quick meat sauce to throw onto the pasta. Choose your noodle and serve.
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