Homemade Pasta Sauce

As I have stated in my previous posts this week, I have been fortunate enough to receive pounds and pounds of various vegetables from friends with bountiful gardens. So Im taking a break from reviewing magazine recipes and sharing some of my home recipes using fresh garden vegetables this week. The last couple of days I have been using the abundance of fresh tomatoes that I have been given and made two recipes and froze the remainder for use in the fall. I shared the tart recipe yesterday, so here is my simple homemade pasta recipe.

My mother made a large amount of homemade pasta sauce growing up. I used to love the smell of the tomatoes and garlic simmering on the stove for hours. Even today their is something comforting about the smell of fresh tomato sauce thickening on the stove. Making pasta sauce from scratch is very easy and takes little cooking skill. First start out with the tomatoes. Boil a pot of water and put in two tomatoes at a time for 10 seconds, then place the tomatoes in a bowl of ice water. Repeat the process until all the tomatoes are blanched. After blanching the tomatoes are very easy to peel and the peel will come right off. Cut the tomatoes in half and remove the seeds and stem. Next I place my tomatoes in food processor because I prefer a thicker, more consistent texture. This step can be skipped, or a food mill can be used depending on your preference. Next place the tomatoes in a large skillet, the larger the surface area the better. Simmer the tomatoes until they reach the desired consistency. It normally takes mine anywhere from 2-5 hours depending on the amount of tomatoes, desired thickness etc. I normally add chopped onion, olive oil, garlic, salt, pepper, basil, oregano and green pepper to my sauce, but you can add any vegetables or Italian seasonings that you wish. That's it, cook some pasta to al dente, add to the skillet and your done!

Homemade pasta sauce is a very simple and delicious way to use tomatoes. The best part about the dish is that you can modify it based on your tastes and preferences and it will still taste delicious!