Homemade Tomato Sauce, Salsa di Pomodoro from An Italian Feast

"This basic tomato sauce can be used whenever a recipe calls for 'tomato sauce.' It is perfectly common to make one's tomato sauce from canned tomatoes, especially when tomatoes are not in season. Look for cans with the description 'San Marzano Plum Tomatoes.' This is the tomato sauce I regularly use, as my Italian grandfather never put onions in his tomato sauce."

- Clifford A. Wright

Welcome to our kitchen! Before you pick up that canned sauce at the store, give this homemade tomato sauce, salsa di pomodoro, a shot. It's super easy, and it tastes like it came from your favorite Italian spot.

Learn more about how to cook with kids.

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• An Italian Feast
• Bison Bolognese
• How to Make Homemade Tomato Sauce
• Giadzy
• Salsa di Pomodoro
• Montessori Continent Boxes
• Homemade Tomato Sauce, Salsa di Pomodoro

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An Italian Feast

This homemade tomato sauce recipe comes from An Italian Feast: The Celebrated Provincial Cuisines of Italy from Como to Palermo, a Culinary Vade Mecum Illustrated with More then 800 Recipes from Italy's 109 Provinces and 20 Regions by Clifford A. Wright.

The tomato, which is thought to originate in Peru, did not reach Italy until the first half of the sixteenth century and, in fact, did not become ubiquitous in Italian cooking until the late nineteenth century and early twentieth century. In the Mediterranean, the tomato spent all those centuries as an ornamental plant for gardens.

There are two basic ways Italians make all-purpose tomato sauce - with onions or without...Although fresh, vine-ripened tomatoes are best, canned whole or crushed tomatoes, tomato paste and tomato purée are fine to use when tomatoes are not in season - just not the canned 'tomato sauce.'

How to Make Homemade Tomato Sauce

Ingredients

• oil - grab your favorite extra-virgin olive oil or use what you have on hand
• garlic - fresh garlic, finely chopped is best for this homemade tomato sauce
• tomatoes - you can use crushed tomatoes or ripe tomatoes, cut in half with the seeds squeezed out, grated against the largest holes of a box grater.
• basil - find the big basil leaves; it's worth it
• salt - what's your favorite salt?
• pepper - freshly ground black pepper

Equipment

• Apron
• Prep Bowls
• Butcher Block
• Child-Friendly Knife
• Utility Knife
• Can Opener
• Measuring Cup
• Wooden Spoon
• Saucier or medium saucepan
• Food Mill (optional)
• Learning Tower as needed

Chop the Garlic

Wash your hands with soap and water. Use a knife and cutting board to finely chop the garlic.

Heat the Oil & Garlic

Heat the oil and garlic in a pan over medium-high heat.

Add the Tomatoes

When the garlic begins to sizzle, add the tomatoes. Reduce the heat to medium-low. Allow the sauce to simmer, stirring occasionally until it is dense, about 15 minutes.

Add the Basil

Add the basil leaves to the sauce.

Season with Salt & Pepper

Season with salt and pepper. When finished, turn off the stove and let the sauce steep for 10 minutes. You can pass it through a food mill if you desire a smoother sauce.

Free Homemade Tomato Sauce Recipe for Pre-Readers & Up