The trick for a killer tomato sauce
Sometimes nothing beats a simple pasta with tomato sauce. You probably already have a favorite recipe, but try this trick sometime to take it to the next level.
The trick for a killer tomato sauce: roasting garlic
The trick lies in the garlic. But don’t immediately think, ‘What’s new? I always put garlic in my tomato sauce.’ Because it’s all about how you fry the garlic.
Whole cloves in the pan
Instead of finely chopping the cloves and briefly frying them, I fry them whole in the pan. Fry the whole cloves over medium heat, turning them occasionally, until they’re lightly browned on all sides. At the end, this can quickly turn into dark brown, so keep a close eye on them. This gives you almost the sweet flavor of roasted garlic, while still retaining a little of its sharpness. That gives the sauce just the extra depth you’re looking for.
Once the garlic has the right color, add a can of tomatoes. I always buy a can of tomato sauce without pesticides.
Let it simmer
Fill the empty can with water and add it to the pan, along with pepper and salt. Bring everything to a boil, then let it simmer very gently for an hour. Check occasionally to make sure it isn’t reducing too much; if it is, add a little more water. In the end, you want to be left with about the same amount of tomato sauce as was in the can.
By letting everything cook together, the flavors meld, giving you a more intense umami flavor. At this stage, you can also stir in some dried herbs such as oregano or basil.
In the blender
Then put the sauce in a blender or use an immersion blender to purée everything, optionally with some fresh basil. I use two large cloves per can of tomatoes. Are yours smaller? Then use three or four.
Extra tip for that killer tomato sauce
This sauce is also delicious on pizza, as a base for melanzane parmigiana or my great Sicilian love: caponata. As far as I’m concerned, you can also add ground meat at the end and let it simmer for another hour for an amazing ragù. But I think it’s most delicious when kept simple. Add a glass of Sangiovese, and leave it at that.
Also read:
