Roasted Tomato Pasta Sauce

Roasting the tomatoes removes a good deal of the liquid, softens the skins, and intensifies the flavor. Once pureed, you do not even detect the skins, so there is no need to remove them, making this a quick and easy way to delicious, thick pasta sauce.

Ingredients:

• About 5 lbs tomatoes, can be a mixture of slicers, heirlooms & paste tomatoes

• 1 medium onion

• 2-3 cloves of garlic

• 1 sweet red pepper

• 1 green peppers

• 1 tbsp. salt, to taste

• 1/3 c. red wine (optional)

• a large handful of fresh basil and oregano, or the herbs of your choice

• a few tbsp. olive oil

Wash tomatoes. Cut tomatoes in half. Place halves of large paste tomatoes cut side down on cookie trays or glass casserole dishes with a lip. Roast tomatoes at 350 degrees for about 20 minutes, or until skin is crinkly, the tomatoes have softened considerably, and released juice. With a slotted spoon or spatula, transfer roasted tomatoes, leaving juice behind, into a food processor. Puree for a few minutes.

While tomatoes are roasting, chop (or pulse in food processor to coarsely chop) garlic, onions, and peppers. In large stockpot, sauté garlic, onions, and peppers until tender over low heat.

Add puree of roasted tomatoes to stockpot with cooked vegetables, and simmer over medium heat, stirring occasionally.

Continue this process until all tomatoes are roasted, pureed, and added to stockpot, continuing to simmer and stir sauce the entire time. This will help it to thicken further. The tomato juice from the roasting pans can be saved for soups, etc. or discarded.

Now, you may want to cook the sauce a little longer, until it reaches your desired consistency. I like to cook it down until a wooden spoon will stand in the center of the pot.

You can also add some tomato paste if you want to thicken it quickly.

Once you have your desired consistency, add the salt to taste, and optional red wine. Chop the herbs and add them. Adjust seasonings to taste.

This sauce is wonderful and thick, and skips the step of peeling tomatoes!

It also freezes very well.

Recipe Yield: 3-4 pints.