Recipe: Basic Tomato Sauce, Smooth to Chunky and Fresh Tomato-Herb Sauce

BASIC TOMATO SAUCE, SMOOTH TO CHUNKY
Makes about 4 cups

Canned Italian plum tomatoes from San Marzano make an excellent sauce, but they can be difficult to find. When you see them, buy a few cans and make a large batch of sauce for the freezer. Simmer the tomatoes whole and adjust the texture of the sauce during the final blending. Both this and the following fresh tomato sauce can be served with virtually any pasta shape. Allow about half a cup sauce for two ounces uncooked dried pasta or fresh pasta.

1/4 cup COLAVITA extra virgin olive oil
1 medium onion, diced fine
1 medium carrot, diced fine
1 tsp. dried basil
1/2 bay leaf
1 can (35 ounces) Italian plum tomatoes, preferably from San Marzano, with liquid
kosher salt
freshly ground black pepper

Heat the oil in a heavy 3 quart saucepan over medium heat. Stir in the onion, carrot, basil and bay leaf. Reduce the heat to medium-low. Saute the vegetables, stirring frequently, until softened, about 10 minutes.

Stir in the tomatoes and liquid. Reduce the heat to simmering. Cover the pan and simmer, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables are tender, about 20 minutes.

Stir in the salt and pepper to taste. Simmer 5 minutes.

Working in batches, process the sauce in a food processor or blender to the desired consistency-about 10 seconds at low speed for a smooth sauce, about 5 seconds at low speed for a medium-coarse sauce, or 3 or 4 quick on/off pulses for a chunky sauce.

TO SERVE:
Warm the appropriate amount of sauce in a large skillet over low heat while the pasta is cooking. Adjust the seasoning. Just before draining the pasta, ladle 2 tablespoons pasta cooking liquid per serving into the skillet. Drain the pasta thoroughly, add to the skillet and toss to coat. Divide among warmed serving plates, passing the grated Parmesan or Romano cheese separately.

NOTE: The sauce will keep refrigerated up to a week and in the freezer up to 3 months. Cool the sauce to room temperature before refrigerating or freezing.

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FRESH TOMATO-HERB SAUCE
Makes 2 1/2 cups

Real vine-ripened summer tomatoes are available for only a fraction of the year. When they are, make this quick, garden-fresh sauce seasoned sparingly with garlic (if you like) generously with fresh basil. This is the sauce to use on fresh spinach fettuccine, open baby clams or wherever the taste of fresh tomatoes is welcome.

4 medium vine-ripened summer tomatoes (about 2 pounds)
1/4 cup COLAVITA extra virgin olive oil
1 clove garlic, minced (opntional)
kosher salt
freshly ground black pepper
1/4 cup (loosely packed) shredded fresh basil leaves

Blanch, peel and seed the tomatoes. Cut into 1/4 inch dice. Drain in a sieve, pressing lightly to remove excess moisture.

Heat the oil in a heavy 2 quart saucepan over medium heat. Add the garlic, if using, and fry until fragrant, about 30 seconds.

Carefully stir in the diced tomatoes. Heat to boiling. Reduce the heat to low. Stir in salt and pepper, to taste, cover the pan and simmer until just enough liquid is extracted to cover the diced tomatoes, about 10 minutes.

Stir in the basil and remove from the heat. (The sauce will improve greatly if allowed to stand at room temperature 1 to 2 hours before serving.)

TO SERVE:
Warm the appropriate amount of sauce in a large skillet over low heat while the pasta is cooking. Adjust the seasoning. Just before draining the pasta, ladle one tablespoon pasta cooking liquid per serving into the skillet. Drain the pasta thoroughly, add to the skillet and toss to coat. Divide among warmed serving plates, passing grated Parmesan or Romano cheese separately.

Source: Colavita Olive Oil