Fresh Plum Tomato Sauce

This is the closest recipe I've found to the deliciously simple tomato sauces I've tried in Italy. Since in the States our tomatoes aren't sweetened by rich, volcanic soil, a little bit of sugar helps make the sauce more vibrant.

• Preparation Time: 20 mins
• Cooking Time: 40 mins
• Total Time: 60 mins
• Calories: 117 Calories

Ingredients

• 2 teaspoons salt
• 1 teaspoon white sugar
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• ⅛ cup chopped fresh basil
• 3 cloves garlic, peeled and halved
• 18 plum tomatoes, or more to taste - cored, seeded, and chopped

Recipe Instructions

Step 1

Heat oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add garlic and brown for 3 to 4 minutes. Add tomatoes, salt, and sugar; cook for 15 minutes.

Step 2

Place a large bowl on a work surface. Insert a colander inside the bowl. Place cooked tomatoes in the colander to drain, saving excess liquid. Transfer tomatoes to the bowl of a food processor and pulse until blended to the desired consistency. Return tomatoes to the saucepan. Add basil and cook for 20 to 30 minutes more, adding some of the reserved tomato liquid if the sauce is too thick.