The Easiest Tomato Sauce Ever!

So I read about this sauce on Food52, then again on Brusselsproutsforbreakfast and decided I had to try it. The tomatoes in our garden are ripening by the dozen and I didn’t want a single one to go to waste! I am not going to lie though, I was a but skeptical about this sauce since there are so few ingredients in it, no fresh basil or other herbs, but people were just raving about it, so I knew it would be good. I made a triple batch and canned it so we can enjoy it once the weather turns and we don’t have the fresh produce at our fingertips. I made a few slight adjustments, keeping the onion in the sauce and pureeing it to give it a little more flavor. I sautéed some fresh vegetables and added some sauce and basil and layered it with polenta and mozzarella cheese. The great thing about this sauce, it that you can do just about anything with it! I can’t wait to make some homemade chicken and spinach ravioli to go along with this delicious sauce… Enjoy!

Tomato Sauce

• 2 pounds fresh ripe tomatoes (canned would work as well)
• 5 tablespoons butter
• 1 medium onion peeled and cut in quarters
• Salt to Taste

If using fresh tomatoes, cut a small X on the bottom of the tomatoes and place in boiling water for about 30 seconds, remove from water and peel skin.

Chop tomatoes and place in pot with butter, onion, and salt. Let simmer for about an hour. Use hand blender (or regular blender) and puree sauce with onion to desired consistency. Add salt to taste and let simmer for additional 15 minutes.

Polenta

Use 1 cup dry polenta and prepare following the directions on the package.

½ Chopped Onion

3 Cloves Garlic (chopped)

3 Medium Zucchini (diced)

½ lb Mushrooms sliced

2 cups Cherry Tomatoes

1 cup packed Basil Leaves (torn)

1 ½ Cups Tomato Sauce

1 Cup Mozzarella Cheese

Salt & Pepper to taste

Prepare Polenta according to instruction. Meanwhile sauté onion and garlic until soft, about 3 minutes; add vegetables and sauté about 8 minutes, add sauce and torn basil and let simmer. 

Layer sauce, polenta, and cheese (do this twice), in an 8x8 pan, and cover with foil. You can let this sit in the refrigerator overnight, or bake right away. Bake in a 350 degree oven for about an hour until it becomes bubbly. Let sit 10 minutes before serving.