Homemade Tomato Sauce
2 (28 ounce) can diced or whole tomatoes1 medium yellow onion, finely chopped
2 celery stalks, finely chopped
3 tablespoons olive oil
5 to 6 large garlic cloves, minced
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1 teaspoon dried basil
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon fresh ground pepper
Use either an immersion blender or drink blender to purée tomatoes, set aside.
In a medium saucepan over medium heat, cook onion and celery in oil until soften. Add in garlic and spices; cook 1 minute; stir occasionally. Stir in puréed tomatoes. Cover with lid, allow for stream to escape. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to a simmer and cook for 30 minutes. Stirring occasionally.
Now at this point, you will have a slightly chunky tomato sauce.
However, if you prefer a smooth sauce, you'll want to use the immersion blender, again, to purée the sauce. You can also use a drink blender to do the same job. Just be careful handling while handling the hot tomato sauce. Hold down the top to the drink blender when you turn it on. The heat from the sauce will make it POP off and you'll have hot food on you and all over the counter.
After the sauce is puréed, carefully pass it through a sieve that is set over a medium bowl. Use a rubber spatula to press the sauce through the sieve. Be sure to scrape the bottom of the sieve, too. Don't waste any of the sauce. It all goes into the bowl. Discard any vegetable and spice bits. This is a very important step that gives you a deliciously smooth sauce.
If you have kids or adults that don't like chunky pasta sauces, but you like sauces with a lot of flavor, this is your happy place. Leftover tomato sauce freezes very well and can easily be reheated in the microwave without losing any of its great flavor.
From: Simple Daily Recipes
