If you  have a crate of over ripe tomatoes taking up space, I suggest the following Fresh Tomato Sauce. It is dead easy to make and you can freeze it and bring it out for a delicious pasta sauce, a pizza topping or something to add to a curry or casserole in a few months time: positively indispensable.

Ingredients

• ½ cup olive oil
• 6 whole cloves peeled garlic
• small bunch of basil leaves, torn (optional)
• 3 kg washed tomatoes, roughly chopped
• 1 dessertspoon salt
• Pinch of sugar (to taste)
• Freshly ground black pepper

Equipment

• 5 litre stock pot, lid not necessary
• Wooden spoon
• An assortment of sizes of microwavable plastic containers and lids or zip lock bags
• A mouli or fine mesh wire strainer (a conical shape is ideal, but not necessary), alternatively a bamix (see above)
• A ladle or large spoon

Method

• Gently heat the oil and add the garlic and basil leaves
• Do not allow the garlic to brown, (remove the pan from the heat if necessary) it will become bitter. Cook slowly for 1 – 2 minutes
• Add the tomatoes and salt
• Turn the heat to moderate until the tomatoes start bubbling, stir the sauce and reduce the heat to an uncovered, gentle simmer
• The tomatoes will start to disintegrate after 5 – 10 minutes
• Check the seasoning, adding more salt and pepper
• If the sauce tastes too acidic, add a ¼ pinch of sugar
• Remove from the heat after 20 minutes
• Bamix or pass through a mouli or fine sieve over a large clean bowl
• Ladle into plastic containers, seal and label and freeze

NB: In case you don’t get around to doing this in the Summer with fresh produce, this recipe works well enough with tinned tomatoes, the texture and colour is not quite the same but remains decidedly acceptable.

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