In my humble opinion, this is the best tomato-based pasta sauce ever to grace a plate. I hope you agree. It's great on it's own, or as a base for
vodka sauce.
Accept my apologies for the vague measurements in some places. This is one of those dishes I've never had the patience to take the time and measure out as I make it. Quite frankly, measuring here would take all the fun out of it.
Ingredients:
* Tomatoes (enough to fill a cookie sheet when cut in half)
1/2 cup red wine
1/2 medium white onion (diced)
7 cloves garlic (minced)
4 oz fresh basil (minced)
4 oz fresh oregano (minced)
4 oz fresh thyme (minced)
Course sea salt
Fresh ground black pepper
Extra virgin olive oil
** tomato puree
* What type of tomatoes, you ask? If all else is equal, I'll choose the romas. But, truth be told, I don't think variety is nearly as important as quality. Go with the variety that is fresh and ripe. The ones pictured are fresh-picked from my father-in-law's garden, which beats an under-ripe grocery store variety any time.
** Optional. See below.
Method:
Cut the tomatoes in half, remove the seeds and steps, and lay them out on a cookie sheet covered in foil. Season them with salt and pepper.
Spread the oregano and thyme evenly over the tomatoes, followed by the garlic then the onions. Drizzle with olive oil and bake for 2 hours at 350.
Remove them from the oven and let them cool for a few minutes, then put them into a food processor and liquify them.
Add the blended tomato mixture to a pan and bring to a boil. Add the wine and basil and simmer for 30 minutes.
Serve over spaghetti with fresh grated Parmigiano Reggiano.
** If you're after a saucier, more Americanized texture, try adding 1/2 cup to a full cup of tomato puree to the food processor while blending. If you do this, you may need to bump up the herbs and seasoning to account for the diluted mixture. For best results, make your own tomato puree from a can of San Marzano tomatoes.
Variation:
While the tomatoes are roasting, fry up a pan of hot Italian sausage. Then, use the wine to deglaze the pan and then add the tomat mixture and basil.
PDF version of this recipe, suitable for printing.
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