Sauces

Basic Tomato Sauce (preparation time +/- 30min)

There is one sauce that is really the easiest to make and SO much better than the store bought sauces: basic tomato sauce. I use it for a lasagne, pastas and on pizzas. I usually make a large amount such that I have enough to save in the freezer for another day.

Necessities:

Medium Casserole
+/- 2 table spoons of olive oil
2-3 garlic cloves, finely chopped
2 cans of peeled tomatoes
2 teaspoons of dried oregano
Salt & Pepper

Optional:

1 can of good quality anchovies

How to prepare:

Put the casserole on medium heat and add the olive oil
Add the garlic and fry very shortly (don’t let it turn brown, it will make the sauce very bitter!)

Add the canned tomatoes and the oregano and let it cook until the sauce has reduced by 1/3. Too much liquid will make the sauce very thin, but when you let the sauce reduce too much, the taste will be too intense. The amount of liquid depends on the quality of the canned tomatoes. Poor quality usually means more liquid. Also, the higher the quality, the better the taste!

You can use the sauce as it is, or use a handheld blender to make the sauce into a smoother substance
Add salt & freshly ground pepper to taste

Now, the sauce is ready!

When you want to use the sauce as a simple pasta sauce, use the anchovies to give it more depth in flavour. Start by adding only one table spoon of olive oil to the casserole and add the canned anchovies plus the oil from the can. Let the anchovies “melt” in the pan and add the garlic. Thereafter, you can follow the further steps mentioned above and you will have a great sauce for a simple pasta! Tip: add capers when the sauce is ready. Bas’ favourite 🙂