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The humble tomato sauce is the basis of so many recipes. It may make you think of classic Italian dishes involving pizza and pasta. Its also the basis of many other styles of cuisine from around the world. First, heres how to make the simplest version and I also give you ideas for variations for different occasions.
2 plump cloves of garlic finely sliced or chopped 2tbsp olive oil 1 x 400g (14 oz) tin of chopped tomatoes or 1 x 500g (2 cups) sieved passata Freshly ground black pepper
The garlic is easier to peel if you first just squash it slightly with the flat of your knife. Not enough to crush it, just enough so it gives. The skin will be looser and easier for you to peel off. Youll need a wide frying pan or saut pan to cook this in. The wider the better as you increase the surface area from which the water can evaporate to thicken the sauce. Warm the pan over a medium heat and add the olive oil. Add the garlic for about a minute until it flavours the oil. Heat gently or you will make the garlic colour too quickly and taste bitter. Add the tomatoes or passata with a couple of grinds of black pepper and stir. Simmer gently, stirring occasionally leaving the pan uncovered. Simmer for about 10 minutes for a pouring sauce for pasta. Simmer for 30 minutes or more for a thick sauce that will stick to your spatula or spoon and be ideal for a pizza topping. Make sure you keep an eye on this. Ive spoilt sauces by wandering away to do something else, allowing them to dry out. Set yourself a timer to make you come back every now and then.
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I use this sauce to top my tomato pizzas. Itll make enough to cover a 30cm x 40cm pizza (12 x 16in) or as the base for a pasta sauce for four. In my house we often eat three quarters of the pizza one night, JJ gets the remaining quarter for lunch the next day and Debs and I have the remaining tomato sauce as part of pasta meal for lunch. When you simmer away the water, the flavours of the tomatoes intensify. The garlic gently flavours the sauce. Dont add salt as there is often enough in the other ingredients of the recipe youre adding it to. You can season to taste before you serve.
Easy Basics
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Fresh ginger is an aromatic root. Depending on the effect you want, you can grate it finely or slice and chop it before you add it to the pan. Finely grate it and the effect will be more subtle. Sometimes you might want to have a bigger texture and burst of flavour than finely chopped or sliced ginger will provide. If you fry on a high heat, 20-30 seconds cooking will be enough. If you use a medium heat, about 2-3 minutes should provide a nice aroma and flavour.
BATTUTO or MIREPOIX
In Italy and France there is a practice of coarsely or finely chopping onions, other vegetables such as carrots and celery, herbs and sometimes bacon or pancetta. Gently saut this, covered, as a base for sauces, soups, stews and roasts. Details of this are in the Preserving Time chapter, see page 152.
Easy Basics
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