Two Tomato Sauces

Wotchers!

Two delightful tomato sauces for you today, one of which I have been making for years, and one of which is fairly new to me, but of which I am equally enamoured. They are both vegetarian, and one of them is vegan, and I have to say, the vegan one is the most butch and flavour-filled vegan recipes that I’ve ever tasted. Both sauces can be used over pasta, but you can also enjoy them with your favourite fresh bread as a dip, snack or starter.

First up (top left) is Marcella Hazan’s Simple Tomato Sauce. Marcella’s recipe originally started out with almost a kilo of fresh tomatoes, but later versions suggested a tin of chopped tomatoes/pulp could be substituted instead. It has only three ingredients (plus salt and pepper) and is one of the most low-key, low effort recipes I know. Simply simmer butter, a halved onion and tomato pulp in a pan for about 45 minutes, remove the onion, season and serve. The long simmer really intensifies the flavours and the onion adds a nuance, but is not overpowering. Personally, I keep the softened onion to use for something else, rather than discard it, but for the onion-dislikers in this household, they prefer to enjoy the flavour it brings without actually having any in the sauce itself. The butter adds a wonderful richness to the sauce and over pasta, with a little grated cheese, it’s glorious.

The second recipe (bottom right) is for a Spicy Hot Tomato Oil sauce I saw in an episode of the American food show Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives. It is served at a restaurant called Pastabilities in Syracuse, New York, where they have been serving it since 1982. The format of the show is to visit 3 restaurants, talk with the owners and diners, and then show the chef/cook making up to 3 recipes. Obviously, these are not tutorials, and the method is whizzed through at, if not a gallop, then certainly a very brisk canter. Nevertheless, with the convenience of the Pause button, notes can be taken if the recipe appeals. Additionally, some recipes are published on Foodnetwork.com, but you need a VPN set to an American server if you want to be able to browse there, because all other attempts are politely but firmly redirected to the UK site.

The origins of the Hot Tomato Oil sauce lie, according to the owner, in a sauce she was served in a roadside eatery in Italy, which she and her husband then tried to recreate when they returned home. A whole head of garlic is sliced and confit’d in olive oil. The garlic is removed from the oil, then tomato pulp, salt, vinegar and chilli are added and simmered for around 45 minutes. Finally, the garlic is added back in and after adjusting the seasonings to taste, and it’s ready to serve.

For both sauces, the long slow simmer really develops the tomato flavour, bringing out the sweetness. Marcella’s sauce is delicate and light, whereas the Hot Tomato Oil is a real flavour punch with the confit garlic, sweetness from the tomatoes, sharpness from the vinegar and heat from the chilli. It’s incredibly moreish and a fantastic contrast to the other sauce. I highly recommend serving them together as dips, just for the contrast.

Serve both sauces warm if for dips, or hot over pasta.

Marcella Hazan’s Simple Tomato Sauce

The original version of this recipe calls for 115g (4 oz) of butter, but having tried that recently, I’m going to recommend the reduced quantity below – it really was too much of a good thing.

1 x 400g tin chopped tomatoes/tomato pulp – Mutti brand is a little more expensive, but worth it
1 brown onion
75g butter
salt and pepper to taste

• Empty the tomatoes into a small saucepan. Add the butter.
• Peel the onion and cut it in half. Add to the saucepan.
• Set the heat under the pan to low – I use level 3 (of 9) on my hob.
• Loosely cover the pan in case of splashes.
• Allow the sauce to simmer for 45 minutes. Stir occasionally.
• Remove the pan from the heat and remove the onion. Keep the onion for other uses. Taste the sauce and season to taste with salt and pepper.
• Serve.

Spicy Hot Tomato Oil

Several copycat recipes ‘out there’ on the internet use either chilli flakes or fresh chillies to bring the heat. In the video, however, it’s pretty clear that a sauce is added, so I went with Sriracha and guessed the quantity. Turns out is was the perfect amount: enough to be able to taste, but not so much that it blows your head off. If, after cooking, you’d prefer your sauce a little more spicy, then add more to taste.

125ml olive oil
1 large head of garlic
1 x 400g tin chopped tomatoes/tomato pulp
½ tsp salt
½ tsp coarse ground black pepper
60ml Sriracha chilli sauce
2-4tbs vinegar – divided

• Peel and thinly slice the entire head of garlic.
• Pour the oil into a small pan and add the sliced garlic.
• Set the heat under the pan to low – I use level 3 (of 9) on my hob.
• Allow the garlic to slowly confit in the warm oil. We are not frying the garlic crisp, just very slowly caramelising while keeping it soft. It will take about 1 hour.
• Strain out the garlic and reserve.
• Add the tomatoes, salt, pepper, Sriracha hot sauce and just TWO tablespoons of vinegar to the now garlicky oil.
• Set the pan back over the low heat and let it cook for 45 minutes. Lightly cover the pan to guard against splashes. Stir occasionally.
• At the end of the cooking time, your sauce will be a deep and rich red, with the oil pooling on the top.
• Taste and adjust the seasoning. You should be able to taste the sharpness of the vinegar without it overpowering. Add 1-2 more tablespoons of vinegar if the flavour has faded too much during the cooking.
• Add the garlic pieces back in and stir to combine.
• Serve.