12 Roma tomatoes, washed and cut in half
4 garlic cloves, crushed
12 to 15 fresh basil leaves, coarsely chopped
2 T. sugar
Salt to taste
Put tomatoes, garlic and basil into a large pot and cook
over medium heat for
approximately one hour or until the mixture turns to mush. (No need to add
liquid,
tomatoes are almost 90% water)
Add sugar and salt to taste. (Some tomatoes are sweeter than others so taste, taste, taste)
Continue to cook for another few minutes.
Put mixture into a sieve on top of another pan and pour
tomato mixture into sieve.
Use the back of a wooden spoon to get as much liquid as possible out of
the tomatoes.
Discard the tomato mixture.
Put juice on top of stove and continue to cook over medium
heat until it is reduced
by about 1/3.
At this point you can use the sauce or put into well-sealed
containers to freeze.
If you’re using it for pasta, serve it with fresh grated
Parmesan or Romano cheese.
As a variation – I’m easily bored – I sometimes add
chicken bouillon granules to the
sauce while it’s cooking down or sometimes a half-cup or so of red wine. Be
adventurous!