Tomato sauce for pasta with fresh tomatoes recipe

There is nothing like a good bowl of pasta with plain tomato sauce. Sure, there are plenty of more elaborate sauces which are great, but plain pasta with fresh tomato sauce will always be unique, classic, a reminder of what makes traditional Italian pasta so good.

A lot of people do not know how to appreciate pasta with plain tomato sauce, but that’s often because they haven’t tried, or are not used to the real thing anymore. Caned tomato sauces taste nothing like a good sauce made from fresh tomatoes, and so this simple dish is often considered boring or reserved for the kids menu. But don’t let industrialized food fool you, a good plain tomato sauce can be just as exquisite as any more elaborate sauce.

There are two keys to making a great tomato sauce for pasta: using fresh, unprocessed ingredients, and taking the time to let the sauce simmer until it is thick and flavorful. With this recipe, you are sure to create a dish that is both healthy and delicious. So what are you waiting for? Let’s get cooking!

Just by reading the list of ingredients you can already tell this is going to be good, and healthy! Just remember that, like with all simple recipes, the quality of the ingredients you put in is going to be determines how good the final result will be.

That’s it! It is true that the sauce needs to cook for a long time, but that doesn’t mean it’s complicated at all! I takes only 4 simple steps which anyone can follow.

Tips and considerations

With the steps above you can complete this recipe from beginning to end, however, there are a few things you might want to keep in mind.

• Depending on the acidity of your tomatoes you might need to add a little bit more sugar in order to compensate that acidity. 1 Tablespoon is a safe measure to begin with, but make sure to taste the sauce as you cook it and add a little bit more if needed.
• Traditional fresh tomato sauce is chunky. However most of-the-shelf tomato sauces are thinner, smoother. You can also make your sauce thinner by running it through a blender.
• Industrial tomato sauce has a deep red color, like the fresh tomatoes. However, when tomatoes are cooked they tend to oxidize, which makes their color change to a lighter shade of red, even orange. This is specially true if you run your sauce through a blender. Do not worry of your sauce looks more orangy than red, the color does not affect the taste.

Serving fresh tomato sauce

Serving this sauce is really easy. Simply boil your favorite type of pasta (really any kind of pasta goes well with fresh tomato sauce), drain it and mix it with the sauce for 30-40 seconds before serving.

If you have some handy you can add a few fresh basil leaves and parmesan cheese, and voila!

Why is this tomato sauce so much better than of-the-shelf ones?

There are a few reasons why industrial tomato sauce does not taste as good as the fresh version. Canned tomatoes are often lacking in flavor, and they can also be quite mushy. Additionally, industrial tomato sauces often have added preservatives and artificial flavors, which can alter the taste an color.

Finally, these mass produces tomato sauces are, by definition, produced in large quantities, which can affect the quality and flavor. When it comes to tomato sauce, fresh is always best!

Storing fresh tomato sauce

If you want to cook your fresh tomato sauce in larger quantities and save it for later, there are a few options.

• Put it in bowl, cover it with plastic film and put it in your fridge for up to 3-4 days.
• Boil a glass jar to sterilize it. Fill it with our sauce while the sauce is still hot. Put the lid on the tap and close firmly. Turn the jar upside down and let it cool down for 3-4 hours. This will seal the jar and make your sauce last for up to 6 months when stored in a dark, cool room.
• Lastly, you can also freeze this sauce, either in bags or plastic containers. Your sauce will be good for up to 12 months when using this method.