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Three Ultimate Tomato Recipes

Tomato recipes three ways. Slow cooked Italian tomato sauce, quick fix pasta sauce and heavenly oven-roasted tomatoes for mid-winter sunshine. All are freeze easy and user friendly as they adapt themselves to many dishes.
Prep Time30 minutes
Cook Time2 hours 30 minutes
Total Time3 hours
Servings: 10
Author: The GOODista

Ingredients

For Slow-Cooked Italian Tomato Sauce

  • 2 kilo Tomatoes
  • 2 Onions large
  • 1 Carrot
  • 1 Celery stick
  • 2 Garlic Cloves
  • 1/2 Chilli optional
  • 2 Tablespoon Olive Oil
  • 1 Tablespoon Honey
  • 1 Tablespoon Balsamic Vinegar
  • 1/2 later Vegetable stock or 'just' water if you don't have organic vegetable cubes others are too salty!
  • Basil fresh - a big bunch or to taste
  • Salt and Pepper to taste

For Quick Fix Pasta Sauce

  • Same Ingredients as above - see cooking method for difference.

For Heavenly Oven Roasted Tomatoes

  • 2 Kilo Tomatoes the longer marzano type are good here
  • 3 Onions large
  • 2 Tablespoons Balsamic Vinegar
  • 3 Tablespoons Olive Oil
  • 1 Tablespoon Honey
  • 2 Garlic Cloves crushed
  • Basil
  • Salt and Pepper to taste

Instructions

Slow-Cooked Italian Tomato Sauce

  • Heat up olive oil and add garlic clove (and chilli if you opt for it) and let it 'melt' slowly in a a large iron pan.
  • Chop the onion, carrots and celery sticks smallish and add to pan as soon as garlic has 'melted'.
  • Chop your tomatoes into large chunks, and add when the onion mix has turned transparent.
  • Let the tomatoes cook down, and let them stew for 1/2 hour.
  • Add the vegetable stock, honey and balsamic vinegar.
  • Let cook on low heat for 1 more hour without the lid.
  • Try and see what the sauce tastes like, and add salt, pepper, and maybe more honey if needed.
  • Let it cook for 1 more hour (at least).
  • At the very end stir in basil to taste so they wilt in the sauce.
  • The longer you cook this sauce the better but after 2 1/2 hour you are there (just).

The Quick Fix Pasta Sauce

  • Chop up all your vegetables, including tomatoes into large bit size pieces.
  • Heat up olive oil, garlic and chilli until garlic starts to turn transparent.
  • Add the vegetables, vegetable stock, honey and balsamic vinegar and crank up the heat.
  • When the tomato sauce is bubbling turn the heat down and taste with salt, pepper and basil.
  • After 15 minutes turn off the heat.
  • Now take out your hand mixer and turn the tomato sauce into a smooth red mix.
  • Put on the heat again and let cook for five minutes. (which is also the perfect time to get your pasta cooked if you plan to serve as dinner :) )
  • Enjoy!

Heavenly Oven-Roasted Tomatoes

  • Heat up your oven to 250 degrees celsius.
  • Slice your tomatoes length wise once only (i.e. one tomato = 2 halves)
  • Place the tomatoes 'sunny side up' on grease proof paper on an oven tray.
  • Chop the onion in large rings and throw over the tomatoes.
  • Spinkle the olive oil, balsamic vinegar and honey over the tomatoes.
  • Place the tray in the oven and let it roast for 20 minutes (sometimes longer in some ovens) until they are lightly charred and glistening.
  • Take out the tray and add the basil that gets to wilt over the hot tomatoes.
  • These are perfect as a side dish, or can be added to any dish that craves savory sweetness. Also works in stews, or just on their own with perhaps some quinoa or couscous. Enjoy!

Notes

These dishes are super easy to freeze. and all you need to do is let them go completely cold - package them up in freezer friendly containers, label and freeze. Then take them out as and when needed. Such a treat to have mid-winter - a sunshine moment!
The recipes are quoted for 10 - but can be varied according to your needs. Enjoy!