Mario Batali’s How To Tuesday: Tomato Sauce

Mario Batali’s How To Tuesday: Tomato Sauce

Basic Tomato sauce is a fundamental ingredient in endless dishes. Skip the store-bought stuff and make it yourself for that warm and fuzzy Italian grandma feeling. It’s simple, cheap and absolutely delicious.

Watch the video to learn the technique, demonstrated by B&B Ristorante executive chef Chris Vaughn. Once you’ve got it down pat, here’s the full recipe:

BASIC TOMATO SAUCE

1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
1 Spanish onion, cut into 1/4-inch dice
4 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
1/2 medium carrot, finely shredded
3 tablespoons chopped fresh thyme, optional*
Two 28-ounce cans whole tomatoes
Salt

1. In a 3-quart saicepan, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the onion and garlic and cook until soft and light golden brown, 8-10 minutes. Add the thyme and carrot and cook until the carrot is quite soft, about 5 minutes.

2. Add the tomatoes, with their juice, and bring to a boil, stirring often. Lower the heat and simmer until as thick as hot cereal, about 30 minutes. Season with salt. The sauce can be refrigerated for up to 1 week or frozen for 6 months.

*If using thyme, add it with the shredded carrot, as described in step 1.

**Chef Chris adds pepper–feel free to season to your own tastes.