Here is one of my favorite fresh tomato sauce recipes! The color is a bit brighter on the orange-red side, but you can always add more tomato or tomato paste for richer red color.

The method is simple but maybe a bit different than most tomato sauce recipes. I like to give the tomatoes, garlic, onion, and olive oil a good saute for the flavors to come together. You then cook the ingredients on low heat, with beautiful fresh herbs. Once the mixture has cooked down, then you will blend everything together. Some people like to remove the skin and seeds but you lose the flavor when doing this. You can definitely roast your tomatoes, garlic, onion, and olive oil which will of course give you amazing flavor too.

Aromatic Tomato Pasta Sauce Recipe

Ingredients:

• 10 Roma tomatoes – quarter the tomatoes
• 1 cup of rainbow cherry tomatoes – halved
• 3 garlic cloves, halved
• 1/2 white onion chopped
• 3 tablespoons of olive oil
• 2 tablespoons of tomato paste
• 1/4 cup of red wine
• 2 tablespoons of granulated sugar
• 1/2 cup of water
• 2 sprigs of fresh rosemary
• 2 sprigs of fresh basil
• Sea Salt & Cracked pepper for taste

Method:

1. In a large saucepan saute the Roma tomatoes, grape tomatoes, onion, garlic, and olive oil in the pan over low heat. You want to confit the ingredients together. Confit means cooking ingredients slowly in a pan.  Cook for about 7-8 minutes or until the onion is translucent.
2. Add the tomato paste, sugar, wine, water, salt, and pepper. Stir and add the herbs. Cook over low heat covered for 15 minutes.
3. Once the mixture is ready, let it cool down. Remove the rosemary sprig.
4. Then add the sauce to a blender and blend until smooth.
5. I like my sauce slightly on the thicker side, so I only blend it a bit. You can do what is best for you!
6. Place sauce inside a sealed jar. Store in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. You can also store it in the freezer for 6 months.  We served this sauce with my dad’s keftedes (Greek meatballs) and you can find the recipe here. 

Kali Orexi- Chef Krystina