Recipe from Italy! How to Make Tomato Sauce from Fresh Tomatoes is so easy. All you need are fresh tomatoes and salt along with a big pot to cook the the tomatoes.
I love fresh tomatoes but when they are a little ripe it’s time for tomato sauce. This recipe comes from a friend of mine that unfortunately passed away a few years ago.
Her mom, who was from Sicily which is an island of Italy, would call tomato sauce "Sunday Gravy" which is a common term for thick tomato sauce. It is indeed a tomato gravy that is thick and flavorful that no jar of tomato sauce from the market will ever be good enough!
Summer is probably the best time to do this simple recipe because of the cheap tomato all over the country. I usually look for the dollar menu at the farmers market so I can have plenty of tomatoes in large quantities. Although these tomatoes were delivered to me. I ended up bagging for 8 families and donated some to the food bank in our community. The rest I kept and made Tomato Sauce and Tomato Paste. Which took me 2 days to do!
The only thing that is truly needed for this recipe is time. Yes, time which is why Sunday was the time to do the tomato sauce because most families had Sunday dinner and no one went to work, it was considered family day after church in Italy. This brought families together to catch up with one another. Interestingly enough most of Europe still keeps this tradition going. We in America are one of the few countries where this has become uncommon.
5 Facts About Sicily
- The name Sicilia was given to the Roman province in 241 BC.
- The largest island in the Mediterranean Sea
- About five million people live in Sicily
- There are seven UNESCO World Heritage Sites on Sicily
- Well-known part of Sicilian cuisine is sweet dishes including ice creams and pastries.
How to make the Tomato Sauce
All you need are fresh tomatoes and salt along with a big pot to cook the the tomatoes. I would recommend a food processor or blender to crush the tomatoes.
1. Wash the tomatoes in cold water with vinegar. I place them in the sink and fill up the sink with water and vinegar to let them sit for about 10 minutes. Then I place them on a towel and let them dry over night.
2. Slice the tomatoes in chucks to place them in the blender.
3. Pour into a large pot and set the burner on medium heat.
4. The secret to go tomato sauce is low and long cooking. The low temperature and cooking for a long time allows the water to evaporate enough to taste the sweet tomato sauce at the end.
5. Boil the spaghetti for about 7 minutes with salt. Test a spaghetti strand for al dente spaghetti. Test the spaghetti with a fork and if it's a clean break and not mushy, the spaghetti is perfect!
6. Drain the spaghetti and spoon in one at a time into the tomato sauce. Mix and repeat steps until all the spaghetti is mixed with tomato sauce.
Storing and Serving Fresh Tomato Sauce
I freeze my tomatoes because I live in a very humid climate which in the past I have not had good luck with jars. I don’t know why but living in Florida things break easier with the seal or I’m not very good at it which could be it too. So for me, I find that freezing has been more successful. If you are a good canner let me know your technique if you live in Florida.
Ways to Serve
My favorite thing to serve with this dish is a salad and lets not forget a little truffle oil on top. It brings out all the flavors of the tomato sauce. I don’t add anything else to my tomato sauce because it’s so flavorful when making tomato sauce from fresh tomatoes. I would also serve fresh raviolis with this sauce.
Tips
To make it a gourmet meal from a fine dining in Italy, pour a little truffle oil on top with fresh parmagio cheese. I also tear up basil on top.
MORE ITALIAN RECIPES
- Low-Carb Crispy Salami Caprese Salad Recipe
- Low-Carb Italian Sausage Recipe
- Roasted Butternut Squash Ravioli with Cream Sauce
- Organic Cheesy Lava Meatballs
TRAVEL GUIDES to EUROPE
- Reims France Travel Guide
- Brussels Belgium Travel Guide
- Plan a Summer Vacation in Lisbon Portugal
- Palace of Versailles in France was Beautiful
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How to Make Tomato Sauce from Fresh Tomatoes
Ingredients
- 30 pounds ripe tomatoes
- 1 cup white vinegar
- 3 teaspoons salt optional
Instructions
Sauce
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Wash the tomatoes in cold water with vinegar. I place them in the sink and fill up the sink with water and vinegar to let them sit for about 10 minutes. Then I place them on a towel and let them dry overnight.
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Slice the tomatoes in chucks to place them in the blender and repeat
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Pour into a large pot and set the burner on medium heat.
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The secret to getting tomato sauce is low and long cooking. The low temperature and cooking for a long time allows the water to evaporate enough to taste the sweet tomato sauce at the end. Cook until the tomato sauce has thicken. Mix on and off so it doesn't stick to the bottom.
Spaghetti
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Boil the spaghetti for about 7 minutes with salt. Test a spaghetti strand for al dente spaghetti. Test the spaghetti with a fork and if it's a clean break and not mushy, the spaghetti is perfect!
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Drain the spaghetti and spoon one at a time into the tomato sauce. Mix and repeat steps until all the spaghetti is mixed with tomato sauce.
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Sprink salt and peper as desired
Recipe Video
Recipe Notes
To make it a gourmet meal from a fine Italian dining restaurant without paying big bucks, pour a little truffle oil on top with fresh parmigiano cheese.
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