The Seated Gardener: Tomato Week: Easy Tomato Sauce

Tuesday, August 23, 2011

Image via WikipediaWith so many tomatoes coming ripe right now, I'm declaring this tomato week and planning to share plenty of tomato harvest recipes with you.

My tomato plants did really well this year and right now there are just too many to eat before they start to spoil. So it's time to pull out my crock pot slow cooker and turn those tomatoes into something I can prepare, freeze and enjoy later.

My first project is yummy tomato sauce. I'm looking forward to using it for spaghetti and meatballs and in homemade lasagna.

My strategy to make this oh-so-easy is to split the prep work into small sessions and store the ingredients inside the ceramic crock pot liner in the refrigerator until the recipe is ready for the slow cooker.

Garden Fresh Tomato Sauce
from The Best Slow Cooker Cookbook Ever

makes about 7 cups

4 pounds ripe tomatoes chopped
1 6 oz. can tomato paste
1/2 cup dry white wine
1 large onion chopped
2-3 Tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
4 large garlic cloves minced
3 Tbsp dried Italian herbs
sea salt and freshly ground pepper

2 tsp sugar
1 Tbsp balsamic vinegar

In 4 quart crock pot mix together the tomatoes, tomato paste, wine, onion, olive oil, garlic, Italian herbs, sea salt and pepper.

Cover and cook on LOW for 4 to 4 1/2 hrs.

Stir in sugar and balsamic vinegar. Increase the heat to HIGH and cook, uncovered, 1/2 hr longer to thicken the sauce.

This sauce freezes well so stash a few containers in the freezer.