Tomato Season

Well the tomato season is over, but I sure reaped the benefits of my tomato plants this year! I have never planted them before and truly had no idea how many tomatoes each plant would yield, so now I know better for next year. But, I am not complaining, I went through 3 harvests with my plants and passed baskets to my neighbors, family, friends and anyone else who would take them. I make tomato tart (which you already have the recipe for), tomato sauce, tomato salad. oven-roasted tomatos and more. Below is my basic basic tomato sauce. Great as a base. The trick to this one, is slow cooking it, long and low heat to allow it to thicken and for all the flavours to come out.

My Tomato Sauce

4 cloves garlic, chopped
4 tbsp olive oil
1 tbsp smoked paprika
3 quarts fresh roma tomatoes, skinned
1 tbsp fresh oregano, chopped
salt & pepper to taste

1. Heat the oil and the garlic on low heat until you can smell the garlic.
2. Add in paprika and the oregano and saute for a couple of minutes.
3. Add in the tomatoes, and using an emulsifying hand blend, mix it until it is smooth
4. Allow it to simmer for approx. 1 hour with the lid off
5. Add in the fresh oregano and let it simmer again for another hour
6. Check it regularly to ensure it doesn't get too thick. Add in your salt & pepper to taste

Over all, I usually let it simmer for about 3-4 hours. Then I let it cool and jar it up! You can add in fresh basil as well near the end if you like.

Enjoy!