Italian Tomato Sauce

This is a sauce I’ve come back to for years.

I first learnt a version of it from Anna, an Italian nonna I met in Tuscany. She ran a small cooking school and had a very simple way of beginning - a little butter and olive oil together in the pan. “Just enough,” she would say.

It’s stayed with me. Even now, that’s where I start.

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Key Words - Italian Inspired, Batch Cooking, Pantry Friendly, Meal Prep, Family Favourite, Sauce, Global Kitchen

Ingredients

Tomatoes
Olive oil
Butter
Garlic
Onion
Grated carrot
Salt
Black pepper
Fresh basil

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Method

1. Bring a pot of water to a boil and add the tomatoes. Once the skins loosen, remove and peel them.

2. Blend the tomatoes into a purée and strain if you prefer a smoother sauce.

3. In a pan, heat olive oil with a small knob of butter. Add chopped garlic and onion, and let them soften.

4. Add the tomato purée and a little grated carrot to balance the acidity.

5. Season with salt, pepper, and fresh basil.

6. Let the sauce simmer on medium heat for about 30 minutes, until it thickens and settles.

• Pro Tip

  The butter and oil together give the sauce a balance that’s hard to miss once you’ve tried it.
  This keeps well and works across meals - pasta, eggs, or anything that needs a quick base.