Making Spaghetti Sauce From Garden Tomatoes
There is nothing more satisfying than cooking up a delicious meal with fresh ingredients from your own garden. One of the most versatile vegetables you can grow in your garden is tomatoes. Tomatoes can be used in a variety of dishes, but one of the most popular is spaghetti sauce. In this article, we will show you how to make spaghetti sauce from garden tomatoes.
What You Will Need
Before we start, let's take a look at what you will need:
- 10-12 pounds of fresh, ripe tomatoes
- 1 large onion, chopped
- 4-6 cloves of garlic, minced
- 2 tablespoons of olive oil
- 2 teaspoons of salt
- 1 teaspoon of black pepper
- 1 teaspoon of dried oregano
- 1 teaspoon of dried basil
- 1/2 teaspoon of red pepper flakes (optional)
- 1/2 cup of red wine (optional)
Once you have gathered all of your ingredients, it's time to get started!
Step 1: Preparing the Tomatoes
The first step in making spaghetti sauce from garden tomatoes is to prepare the tomatoes. Begin by washing the tomatoes and removing any stems or leaves. Cut the tomatoes into quarters and remove the seeds and pulp. You can use a spoon or your hands to remove the seeds and pulp.
Step 2: Cooking the Tomatoes
Once the tomatoes are prepared, it's time to cook them. In a large pot, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the chopped onion and garlic and sauté until the onion is translucent. Add the prepared tomatoes to the pot and stir to combine with the onion and garlic.
Reduce the heat to low and let the tomatoes simmer for about 2 hours. Stir the sauce occasionally to prevent it from sticking to the bottom of the pot.
Step 3: Adding the Seasonings
After the tomatoes have simmered for 2 hours, it's time to add the seasonings. Add the salt, black pepper, dried oregano, dried basil, and red pepper flakes (if using) to the pot and stir to combine. If you like, you can also add 1/2 cup of red wine to the pot at this time.
Step 4: Blending the Sauce
Once the sauce has simmered for an additional 30 minutes with the seasonings, it's time to blend the sauce. You can use an immersion blender to blend the sauce directly in the pot or transfer the sauce to a blender and blend until smooth.
Step 5: Finishing the Sauce
After the sauce has been blended, return it to the pot and let it simmer for an additional 30 minutes to thicken. If the sauce is still too thin, you can let it simmer for an additional 30 minutes or until it reaches the desired consistency.
Once the sauce is finished, you can serve it over your favorite pasta or store it in the refrigerator or freezer for later use.
Conclusion
Making spaghetti sauce from garden tomatoes is a great way to use up a bumper crop of tomatoes and enjoy a delicious meal at the same time. With just a few simple ingredients and some patience, you can create a flavorful and nutritious sauce that your whole family will love.