This was an especially nice gardening season for the heirloom tomatoes and it was well worth taking the time to cook the extras into a sauce to extend the summertime garden through the cold Wisconsin winter. It's a great way to use fresh garden herbs, garlic, onion and tomatoes to bring soups, chili, pasta, and stews to life.
Savory Pasta Sauce
12 large whole ripe tomatoes (quarter them or if extra large cut into smaller segments to shorten cook time)
1 chopped medium onion
*I keep a few small tasting spoons on hand and adjust the following seasonings "to taste" as the sauce simmers:
sea salt
black pepper
2-3 crushed garlic cloves
dried, or fresh herb medley of rosemary, basil, oregano, thyme (chopped, or placed in cheese cloth and simmered like a tea)
The following ingredients tend to yield a more complex flavor and are "optional to taste":
4 Tbsp fresh grated parmesan
dash of balsamic vinegar or red wine
2 tbsp brown sugar
1 oven or fire roasted red sweet pepper - Beaver Dam variety is a nice local heirloom that inspired the Beaver Dam Chili Pepper Festival. .
Directions:
Rinse the tomatoes and remove bruised or blemished areas.
Quarter the tomatoes and place in a large sauce pan on the stove on medium heat for a few minutes until they start to bubble then turn down heat to simmer.
Add the herbs and spices to taste and continue to simmer for 30 minutes or so.
When the tomatoes start to disintegrate let the sauce cool and then blend the sauce in a blender - a few pulses is usually all it takes. Return the sauce to the pan to simmer for 3-4 hours until thickened.
Wash and dry 2 quart canning jars with lids and pour the sauce into the jars - cool and refrigerate for up to five days, or freeze for up to 6 months as needed. Label the jars with the date and don't overfill if placing in the freezer - or freeze the sauce in labelled freezer bags.
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