Pasta Sauce-Tomato Basil

Homemade gourmet pasta sauce isn’t quick and easy when you spend hours sautéing sausages and simmering for 3 hours. We don’t always have the time for that especially around the busy holidays. Yet, you always seem to have unexpected family or friends dropping in. So here is a quick and easy homemade tomato-basil pasta sauce that you are going to love! Yes, a tomato basil pasta sauce that only takes about 30 minutes to make and stills fills your kitchen with those comforting aromas of tomatoes, garlic and basil that make you want to rip off a piece of crusty bread and dunk it right in.

The whole point of this recipe is quick and delicious…no chopping, just grating and only using one pan. We are still getting layers of gourmet flavors with the carrots, onions, garlic, tomatoes, red wine, dried and fresh herbs! This sauce also comes out with a thick consistency.  If you want a chunkier sauce you would just puree the first can with the sauteed vegetables until smooth, and with the other can of tomatoes you would pulse only a couple of times in the food processor keeping the tomatoes chunky then adding into the pan. Make it this way also if you like a chunkier VODKA SAUCE!  If you are using it for making pizza just puree everything and you are ready to go… you don’t even need to simmer the sauce at all just spread the raw sauce onto the raw dough and into the oven (the carrots, onions, and garlic were sauteed of course before you pureed them with the tomatoes. This homemade gourmet tomato basil pasta sauce will definitely help make your life a little easier while getting you rave reviews! Enjoy!

INGREDIENTS:

• 2 – 28.oz cans whole peeled tomatoes – NOTE: If you want a chunkier sauce puree til smooth ONLY 1 can with the sauteed vegetables and then other can pulse only a couple of times. Make It this way also if you like a chunkier VODKA SAUCE!
• 1 carrot peeled
• 1/2 lg onion grated
• 2 lg garlic cloves thru garlic press
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 1 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp finely ground Italian seasonings
• 1 tbsp sugar
• 4-6 fresh basil leaves
• 1/4 cup of red wine, cabernet, pinot noir what ever you are drinking 🙂

DIRECTIONS:

1. Peel and the grated 1 carrot in sauce pan
2. Cut lg onion in 1/2 peel and grate into same sauce pan
3. Smash 2 lg clove of garlic and put thru garlic press and into same sauce pan
4. Add 2 tbsp olive oil and put on med./low heat and begin to sauté
5. Sauté for about 10 minutes on med/low til soften (you don’t want it to brown or burn)
6. Deglaze by adding in 1/4 cup red wine (or white if you don’t have red)
7. Simmer for 2 minutes and then add to food processor with 1 can whole peeled tomatoes
8. Puree til a smooth consistency and then add to same pan.
9. Puree the other can of whole peeled and add to pan as well…..NOTE: If you want a chunkier sauce puree til smooth ONLY 1 can with the sauteed vegetables and then other can pulse only a couple of times. Make It this way also if you like a chunkier VODKA SAUCE!
10. Add 1 tbsp sugar, 1/2 tsp finely ground Italian seasonings, 1/2 tsp salt, pepper to taste and 5 fresh basil leaves
11. Simmer for 20 minutes and serve with you favorite pasta, or chicken cutlet or ciabatta bread and sprinkle with some freshly grated Reggiano Parmeseano or Pecorino Romano and mangia!