It’s that time of the year when juicy tomatoes right off the vine are abundant. But what to do with all these incredible tomatoes? Sure, you could make a simple salad or slice them up for a sandwich, but why not take it a step further and create a homemade fresh tomato sauce?
This isn’t your traditional let it simmer all day “Sunday sauce”. We’re going for a quick and easy recipe here. We want it to taste like we just picked those tomatoes from the garden, so we’ll whip it up in just 30 minutes. It’s perfect for those nights when you need dinner in a jiffy!
Recipe Tips:
The tomatoes
If you don’t mind the skins and seeds, just chop up the tomatoes with a knife or toss them in the food processor and pulse a few times (that’s what I do). Easy peasy!
If you would prefer to remove the skins, however, you could use either one of these methods:
Blanching:
- Bring a pot of water to a boil.
- Prepare a large bowl with some ice water.
- With the tip of a knife, score a small “X” on the bottom of each tomato.
- Drop the tomatoes into the boiling water and let them cook for about 1-2 minutes.
- Using a slotted spoon, remove the tomatoes from the boiling water and immediately place them in the ice water to stop the cooking process.
- Allow the tomatoes to cool in the ice water for a few minutes.
- Once cooled, you can easily peel off the tomato skin starting from the “X” mark.
- If you also want to remove the seeds, cut the tomatoes in half and use a spoon to scoop out the seeds.
grating:
- Cut the tomatoes in half horizontally.
- Take a box grater and choose the largest side of the grater.
- Hold the cut side of the tomato and press it against the large holes of the grater.
- Move the tomato back and forth along the grater, applying gentle pressure.
- Continue grating until only the skin is left in your hand.
- Repeat the process with the remaining tomatoes.
- Discard the skin and collect the grated tomato flesh in a bowl.
how to fix an acidic tomato sauce
Rather than adding sugar to an acidic sauce, using baking soda can help neutralize the acidity and balance the flavors. Tomatoes are naturally acidic, and sometimes their acidity can be overpowering or cause digestive discomfort for some individuals. By adding a small amount of baking soda to the sauce, you can reduce the acidity and create a smoother, milder taste.
Baking soda, also known as sodium bicarbonate, is an alkaline compound. When it comes into contact with acid, such as the natural acids found in tomatoes, it undergoes a chemical reaction that produces carbon dioxide gas. This reaction helps to reduce the acidity in the sauce by neutralizing some of the acid.
It’s important to use baking soda sparingly, as using too much can affect the overall flavor of the sauce and make it taste bitter. Start with a small amount (1/4 teaspoon), and taste the sauce as you go to ensure you achieve the desired balance of flavors.
You can use this sauce as a topping for pasta, meatballs, pizza, or any dish that calls for tomato sauce.
Enjoy your homemade fresh tomato sauce!
We think you’ll love this, too!
Fresh Summer Tomato Sauce
Ingredients
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 medium onion chopped
- 3 cloves garlic minced
- 4 cups fresh tomatoes chopped
- salt & pepper to taste
- ¼ cup fresh basil leaves
Instructions
- Heat a low wide saucepan over high heat. Add the chopped onions and saute until translucent and lightly golden, about 5 minutes.Add the garlic and cook for a minute more.
- Add the grated or chopped tomatoes to the saucepan. Cook the tomatoes over medium-low heat (a brisk simmer) until most of the juices are reduced and the sauce thickens – about 20-30 minutes (depending on how juicy your tomatoes were).
- Season with salt & pepper to taste.Sprinkle with fresh basil.
- The sauce can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 5 days or frozen for later use.