Barely Legal Tomato
Classic recipes from chef and red-sauce master, Donatella Arpaia.
Classic Tomato Sauce
(Makes 6 servings)
Ingredients
3 lb. fresh Roma tomatoes (or a 28-oz. can of whole, peeled tomatoes)
3 garlic cloves, chopped
1 medium onion, diced
Extra-virgin olive oil for sauteing
4 fresh basil leaves
Salt and pepper to taste
Directions
1. If using fresh tomatoes, blanch them in boiling water for 10 seconds. This separates the skin from the flesh.
2. Drain the tomatoes and push through a food mill to remove the skin and seeds to create a pulp. If you don't have a food mill, push tomatoes through a fine mesh colander.
3. In a deep saucepan, saute garlic and onion in olive oil (extra-virgin, please) until tender but not brown. (In the summertime, when tomatoes are at their best, skip the onion and cut back on the garlic.)
4. Add the tomato pulp from step 2.
5. Add the 4 torn (not cut), basil leaves and salt and pepper to taste.
6. Bring to a boil and reduce heat to a simmer for 15-20 minutes. At this point, you'll have your passatta (tomato sauce), which can be used as a fresh-tasting pasta sauce or as a base for the recipes below
I'm most interested as to why she asks you to sieve them, then add the skins and guts right back into it in step 4. I guess I messed it up, cos I drained and put through the mesh strainer and dumped the guts. I added a 28 ounce can of San Marzano peeled romas. So why go to the trouble of mashing them through only to add it all in???
BTW, if interested in the other recipes referred to at the end of the recipe, ask and I will add them
Classic recipes from chef and red-sauce master, Donatella Arpaia.
Classic Tomato Sauce
(Makes 6 servings)
Ingredients
3 lb. fresh Roma tomatoes (or a 28-oz. can of whole, peeled tomatoes)
3 garlic cloves, chopped
1 medium onion, diced
Extra-virgin olive oil for sauteing
4 fresh basil leaves
Salt and pepper to taste
Directions
1. If using fresh tomatoes, blanch them in boiling water for 10 seconds. This separates the skin from the flesh.
2. Drain the tomatoes and push through a food mill to remove the skin and seeds to create a pulp. If you don't have a food mill, push tomatoes through a fine mesh colander.
3. In a deep saucepan, saute garlic and onion in olive oil (extra-virgin, please) until tender but not brown. (In the summertime, when tomatoes are at their best, skip the onion and cut back on the garlic.)
4. Add the tomato pulp from step 2.
5. Add the 4 torn (not cut), basil leaves and salt and pepper to taste.
6. Bring to a boil and reduce heat to a simmer for 15-20 minutes. At this point, you'll have your passatta (tomato sauce), which can be used as a fresh-tasting pasta sauce or as a base for the recipes below
I'm most interested as to why she asks you to sieve them, then add the skins and guts right back into it in step 4. I guess I messed it up, cos I drained and put through the mesh strainer and dumped the guts. I added a 28 ounce can of San Marzano peeled romas. So why go to the trouble of mashing them through only to add it all in???
BTW, if interested in the other recipes referred to at the end of the recipe, ask and I will add them