The Simplicity of Sauce

A good tomato sauce is the cornerstone of any cook’s repertoire. In addition to being the perfect go-to recipe on a busy night, a tomato sauce is the ideal way of showcasing your own personal flavor palate, which in the world of cooking is like a fingerprint. I make no claims to being of Italian lineage, and would never put my sauce up against an “authentic” version, as I think it all comes down to what you know, what you’ve grown up with and what satisfies your cravings.

Growing up, tomato sauce was a perpetual staple in our household- from quick weeknight meals filled with rehearsals and sports practices, to all day simmered pots of Chicken Cacciatore, there were always a half dozen cans of crushed tomatoes in our pantry. Both of my parents had a similar style to their basic sauce (one of my father’s first cooking jobs had been in the only Italian restaurant in Bangor), and it is what I have built my own off of. Many people might scoff that tomato sauce is too basic to be interesting or refined, but I would argue that its beauty is in its simplicity. Not only can you highlight wonderful seasonal vegetables in prime growing season, but you can also make a cold weather comfort food with good tinned tomatoes, and on the cheap!

This last evolution of sauce making was on a Friday night after a very busy week of work. Kyle was driving home from Kings Point after giving a talk to a group of officers, and I was charged with putting together something quick, and was less than motivated to hit the market, so I went with what I had on hand in the house. A few weeks back I had taken up container gardening, and had fresh basil and flat leaf parsley, which were perfect for balancing against the acidity of the tomatoes. The result was a comforting bowl of shared pasta on a relaxed Friday night. Although my sauce does differ from time to time, this is what I find to be my favorite unpretentious tomato sauce that can be made year round. I’m not a fan of adding tomato paste or sugar to my sauce, as I like it a little bit more loose and chunky, and if you’re using fresh tomatoes, you are going to more than likely have a sweet sauce. If you’ve got fresh tomatoes, herbs and any other vegetables, use them! When working with fresh as opposed to canned, use equal proportions of chopped fresh tomatoes, and just simmer a bit longer. Skinning and de-seeding is up to you, I leave it all in, as I’m a fan of a more rustic texture, and if you want to break down the flesh more, a handheld potato masher does the trick. In line with my cooking philosophy, if you use simple, fresh, great ingredients to start with, it’s hard to go wrong. It’s all about finding what works for your taste, and using what you’ve got.

Basic Tomato Sauce (easily doubled for freezing)

- 1 28oz. can of Pastene “Kitchen Ready” tomatoes (or any similar good quality)
- 3-4 tblspns Extra Virgin olive oil
- 3 cloves garlic, minced finely
- ½ of a sweet onion, halved and sliced thinly
- 4ish tblspns. Red wine (I used Merlot, as that was what I was sipping on after work)
- 3-4 tblspns minced fresh herbs (I had flat leaf parsley, basil and baby arugula on hand)
- Good sea salt & cracked black pepper
-1-2 tspns Crushed red pepper (optional)
In the base of a large pot or Dutch oven, heat olive oil over medium heat. Add in onions and sweat, stirring regularly so as not to brown, until translucent, about 4-5 minutes. Add in garlic and continue to stir for another minute or two. Add in tomatoes & stir to combine. Season with salt & pepper to taste, and crushed red pepper, if using. Stir in wine and allow sauce to come together over low heat for as long as possible. Depending on your desired thickness, you can add a little more wine, water, pasta water (if you’re cooking pasta to serve with sauce) or even stock to thin out a bit. About 5 minutes before serving, stir in fresh herbs (basil will turn brown if added to early), check seasonings and adjust if needed. Wonderful served over pasta, with grilled sausages, simply on toasted bread with olive oil.