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Tomato season is approaching here in Sicily, and in a few weeks I’m going to show you how to can the best tomato sauce ever! But for now, I received some organic cherry tomatoes and decided to make some tomato sauce …..what else can I do, I married an Italian! =)

So here they are….aren’t they beauties?

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Ingredients you will need:

(You can cut the recipe in half if the quantity is too large to consume, but don’t forget you can share some with friends and family or freeze it =)

– 10 lbs of cherry tomatoes

– 4 to 5 large bay leaves

– 2 to 3 TBSP of BOTH dry oregano AND basil

– Olive oil

– 1 cup of red wine

– 1 large red onion, sliced

– 5 to 7 large cloves of garlic, crushed

– 1 cup of arugula, washed and chopped

– Salt\pepper, to taste

Directions:

Wash and cut the tomatoes in half. Set aside.

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Wipe the board using paper towels. Peel and crush the garlics. Set aside.

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Place half of the tomatoes in a blender, along with the garlic, and blend for about 10-15 seconds. Pour into a stock pot. Place remaining tomatoes on top along with the basil, bay leaves, oregano, 2 TBSP of olive oil, wine and salt. Cover and bring to a boil.

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As soon as it starts boiling, lower the heat to medium low and stir with a wooden spoon to incorporate the flavors. Let simmer, uncovered, for about 20 minutes, stirring periodically.

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During the 20 minute simmer, sauté the red onions in 1 TBSP of olive oil and set aside. In addition, wash and chop the arugula (if not already done).

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After the 20 minute simmer, using a potato masher that’s heat proof, smash the cooked tomatoes so that they break apart a bit.

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Add the onions and arugula. Stir to incorporate and leave to simmer another 20-30 minutes or until desired thickness of the sauce is achieved.

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……….Ahhh! There you have it…basking in all it’s glory waiting to be married to your pasta!

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And the best part is that this sauce tastes even better the next day! So make enough for left overs and give some to your neighbors!

Buon Appetito!

Wanita =)