Homemade Pasta Sauce

While Ragu is pretty tasty, nothing compares to the taste of homemade pasta sauce that you have carefully prepared using classic Italian techniques perfected through the generations, using the freshest tomatoes available from your own garden or a local farmer’s market. It doesn’t take long to make – half an hour or so, and your family will love walking in the door at the end of a long day to the smell of authentic homemade spaghetti sauce simmering on the stove. Best of all, the homemade variety is healthier for you because it contains no preservatives.

What you’ll need:
• Extra virgin olive oil
• 2 Tbsp butter
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 tsp basil
• 2 tsp marjoram
• 1 tsp oregano
• 1 tsp thyme
• 1 tsp sage
• 1 tsp rosemary
• 1 medium onion, chopped
• 1 green bell pepper, chopped
• 2 Tbsp tomato paste
• ¼ cup burgundy wine
• 10 ripe tomatoes
• salt and pepper

1. Bring a pot of water to a boil. Score the bottom of the tomatoes with an X (this will make them easier to peel), and place in boiling water for about one minute, or until the skin starts to peel. Remove tomatoes and place immediately into a bowl of ice water. Let the tomatoes cool, then remove the skin and seeds. Chop two tomatoes and set aside, and chop remaining 8 tomatoes and puree in a blender.

2. In a large pot over medium heat, cook onion, bell pepper and garlic in oil and butter until onion starts to soften. Pour in pureed tomatoes. Stir in chopped tomato, basil, marjoram, oregano, thyme, sage, rosemary and wine. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to low, cover and simmer 2 hours. Stir in tomato paste and simmer an additional 2 hours. Uncover, and add salt and pepper to taste. Let cook until sauce thickens, and serve.

You can also make this sauce using a slow cooker. After bringing all ingredients to a boil, pour the mixture into a slow cooker and let cook on low for 4-6 hours. Add salt and pepper to taste. If you prefer, or have an abundance of tomatoes, you can make multiple batches of this sauce at once and freeze it for the freshest, most delicious authentic homemade Italian pasta sauce all winter long!