Simply from Scratch: Homemade Roasted Tomato Sauce

Last week, I posted a recipe for a semi-homemade tomato sauce and mentioned I wanted to make another homemade sauce from oven roasted tomatoes. It's one of those things I've always wanted to try but have been discouraged a bit because it seems so overwhelming.

Well, today was the day it happened. My Mom loaded me up with part of her summer bounty of freshly harvested, home-grown tomatoes. What could be more motivating than that?  She grew the tomatoes from seeds in her backyard.  I'm pretty excited about this because how much more organic and local can you get?  Now, I don't know what it is exactly... maybe the soil and humidity... but Jersey Tomatoes are supposed to be among the best in the country.  We are the "Garden State" after all.  We'll see how this translates into my sauce.  I expect great things!

Below is the recipe I pieced together after scouring the internet for ideas. I rarely follow recipes... it's the scientist in me.  I want to experiment!!  (although my QC folks would say this approach is entirely NOT GMP!)  I liked some things about the recipes and didn't like other things which made it necessary to piece my own together. This took about two hours from start to finish and really was not hard at all. (even had some down time during the roasting step) The only thing I might change next time is the amount I prepare. I would definitely make this in bulk and freeze it or even share it with friends and family. Yes, it's THAT good!

Ingredients- Roasted Tomatoes
15 ripe garden tomatoes (Jersey Fresh, got to represent!)
1/2 c. Olive Oil
Course Sea Salt, to taste
Fresh Ground Pepper, to taste
4 cloves garlic, minced.

Preheat oven to 375 and begin by slicing the tomatoes to about the same thickness. I sliced mine about a 1/2 inch thick. Line a lipped cookie sheet with foil and brush it with olive oil. Arrange the tomatoes so that they are not overlapping. Brush with olive oil and sprinkle with garlic, pepper and salt. Bake for 45-55 minutes. (oven temperatures vary so keep an eye on them) You can pull them out when the tomatoes are visibly soft or keep them in to increase the richness of the roasted flavor. I left mine in until they were just starting to brown around the edge of the cookie sheet. Allow to cool for 5 minutes.  Spoon the tomato mixture into a glass measuring cup/bowl. The 15 tomatoes yielded about 4 cups. Using a hand blender, puree the tomatoes until smooth. Push tomato mixture through a strainer to removed skins and seeds. Place in a saucepan over low heat.

Ingredients- Homemade Tomato Sauce
1/2 c. yellow onion, chopped
4 cups roasted tomato mixture
2 T. fresh basil, chopped
1 tsp. fresh oregano
1/2 tsp. fresh thyme
1/2 tsp fresh ground pepper
1/2 tsp. red pepper flakes
1 T. red wine vinegar
1 tsp. sugar
2 T. butter (divided)

In a sauce pan over medium heat, add the onion and saute until golden brown. Add the onions, herbs and spices to the tomato mixture. Finish with vinegar, butter and sugar. Simmer for an hour, stirring occasionally to allow flavors to meld. If you prefer a smoother sauce, use a hand blender again for a minute.

The verdict? WOW, WOW and WOW!!!
I may never buy jarred tomato sauce again! This was flavorful and rich... oh so perfect over any pasta. This would also be a great base for a vodka sauce. I might have to try that next!