Signora’s Tomato Sauce I cooked for a lot of crazy signoras when I lived in Italy, and one of them whipped me into shape by insisting that the tomatoes for tomato sauce be put through a food mill first. For the uninitiated, it’s kind of like an old coffee mill, but with a more tightly geared hand crank. In would go the roasted tomatoes, and each crank by hand would squeeze them through holes in the side of the mill. I needed a tube of Bengay for my arms after the first batch, but the result is a far lighter sauce than any store-bought variety. If you’re not up for the workout, just lightly pulse the tomatoes in a food processor. SERVES 6
4 pounds Roma tomatoes, halved 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil Sea salt 1 onion, diced small 2 carrots, scrubbed and diced small 2 cloves garlic, chopped 2 cups loosely packed fresh basil leaves, chopped Preheat the oven to 400°F. Gently squeeze the tomatoes by hand to remove excess seeds, then put them in a bowl and toss with 1 tablespoon of the olive oil and ½ teaspoon of salt. Place the tomatoes, cut side down, in a single layer on sheet pans and roast for 20 to 30 minutes, until the skins are just browning and the juices are bubbly. Let cool for 5 minutes, then lift off the skins with a fork. Meanwhile, heat the remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil in a large saucepan, then add the onion and a pinch of salt and sauté until golden, about 5 minutes. Add the carrots, garlic, and ¼ teaspoon of salt and continue to sauté until the carrots become just tender, about 5 minutes. Lift the tomatoes off the sheet pans and transfer to a food processor, then pour in any pan juices. Add the carrot mixture and the basil and pulse until pureed but still a little chunky. Transfer back into the saucepan and stir in ¼ teaspoon of salt. Do a FASS check. Tomatoes can sometimes be acidic, so you may want to add a pinch of sweetener and another pinch of salt.