summertime TOMATO SAUCE 

Makes about 2 quarts

I love this tomato sauce! It’s intense flavor and texture is different to most tomato sauces, and though that narrows its uses, its glories outpace its limits. It’s also a good way to keep on hand delicious, ready-to-eat tomatoes for summer dishes. Use your favorite extra virgin olive oil for the best flavor. Once cooked, the tomatoes will keep 2 or 3 days at cool room temperature and a week in the fridge. Mash tomatoes gently for the best sauce you’ve ever had. You can also serve them with sheep’s milk ricotta, bufala mozzarella, burrata, on grilled country bread rubbed with garlic, or tossed with fresh fettuccine and grated Pecorino romano. And of course for our meatballs. Use left-over oil after the tomatoes are gone for dipping toasted bread, for roasting other vegetables, or for a delicious Panzanella. 

4 lb small, ripe dry-farmed Early Girls
2 cloves garlic, peeled 
6 sprigs fresh basil, thyme, or oregano (mix if you’d like) 
1 cup extra virgin olive oil          
2 teaspoons salt 
1 bay leaf
Optional: ½ teaspoon chili flakes 

Core tomatoes. Place stem side down in a shallow casserole. Strew garlic cloves, herb sprigs, and bay leaf around tomatoes. Drizzle tomatoes with olive oil. Sprinkle with salt and chili flakes. Bake uncovered in the top of a 400° F/205° C oven for 40-45 minutes, until tomatoes are charred and collapsed. Cool and transfer tomatoes to a wide mouth glass jar. Will keep two-three days at room temperature or 7 days refrigerated. Be sure tomatoes are below surface of oil, out of contact with air.

©2020 Christopher Lee