Passionate Vegetarian Cookbook
Basic Wintertime Italian Tomato Sauce

Servings/Yield
3.5 cups

I’ve called for 2 tablespoons olive oil here; 1/4 cup or more is traditional. But by using cooking spray or olive oil spray or a nonstick skillet, you can get by with much less and still end up with a delicious sauce.

2 tablespoons olive oil
Cooking Spray
1 large onion
1-4 cloves garlic, medium, pressed
1 28 oz can Tomatoes in juice
1-2 tablespoon tomato paste
1 teaspoon honey, (or to taste)
1 bay leaf, broken in half
1 to 2 teaspoon dried oregano
¼ teaspoon Rosemary, dried
1.25 teaspoons thyme, dried
salt and pepper, freshly ground, to taste
Method

1. Heat the olive oil in a large nonstick skillet, or cast iron skillet that has been sprayed with cooking spray, over medium heat.

Add the onion and cook, stirring, for 5-7 minutes, until limp and translucent and just starting to brown around the edges . Stir in the garlic, cook 1 minute more, taking care not to let it stick, then add the tomatoes, tomato paste, and honey. Turn down the heat to a low simmer.

2. Add bay leaf, then add basil, oregano, rosemary, and thyme, crushing each between your fingers to release essential oils. Add pepper – plenty.

Raise heat to almost a boil, turn it down to a simmer, and cook the sauce for about 20 minutes, until thick.

3. At this point, taste for acidity, saltiness, and herb flavors. If too acid, add a little more honey. The sauce probably needs some salt now, but maybe not too much, given that canned tomatoes are salted and that such sauces are often incorporated into dishes that include cheese. If it’s not herbal enough for you, add additional pinches of herbs (in this case, you’ll need to let the sauce stand for at least half an hour, longer if possible, to let the herbal flavors develop.