Tomato and Basil sauce
If you love tomatoes, this is your sauce.
Simple but rich in the same time, this sauce will bring the summer in your plate.
The smell of basil, the garlic and the slow cooking it all calls for holiday time.
We love making this sauce also because it reminds us of our aunties and grannies that in the past, when we had only seasonal fruit and vegetables, used to do plenty of this tomato sauce for the winter months.
It was always a chance to spend time together, around a giant rectangular table with everyone in the family involved. All the tomato sauce was then placed in brown glass bottle and put in a storage.
This is of course a modern version, done with tin tomatoes but we it brings back this memoy so strong that we wanted to share with you.
INGREDIENTS for 4 people
700 ml of tomato passata
1/2 onion finely chopped
2 garlic cloves halved and pressed
15 gr of parsley finely chopped
extra virgin olive oil
salt
10 basil leaves to cut with your hands
METHOD
Clean 2 cloves of garlic, divide them in 2 parts and press them against a board with the help of a knife. ( this will help to release all the flavour).
Heat 4 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil in a pan and add the garlic, the onion, the parsley all finely cut.
Medium heat for around 4/5 minutes or until softened and starting to colour and smells really good. Stir it frequently.
Cut the basil in small pieces with your hands and add it. Stir fry for other two minutes.
Remove now the garlic.
Add the tomato sauce and adjust with salt.
Let slow cook at a low heat for 15 minutes and cover with a pot lid after it started bubbling.