150 minutes
A rich and flavorful roasted tomato sauce, perfect for pastas, pizzas, or as a base for your favorite dishes.
Fresh Ripe Tomatoes, cored and halved
0 lb
Extra Virgin Olive Oil, divided
tablespoons
to taste
Fresh Rosemary, coarsely chopped
teaspoons
Fresh Thyme, coarsely chopped
teaspoons
Garlic Clove, minced
each
teaspoons
Homemade Turkey Broth
cups
teaspoons
teaspoons
to taste
1. Preheat Oven and Prepare Tomatoes
Preheat your oven to 350°F (180°C). Arrange the halved tomatoes cut-side up in a single layer on a large rimmed baking sheet or a glass baking dish.
2. Season and Roast Tomatoes
Drizzle about 1/4 cup (60 ml) of extra-virgin olive oil over the tomatoes and season them generously with kosher salt. If you like, sprinkle some coarsely chopped fresh rosemary and thyme over the tomatoes. Roast for at least 1.5 hours, checking after 1 hour.
3. Prepare Garlic and Red Pepper Flakes
While the tomatoes are roasting, heat the remaining 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a sauté pan or medium Dutch oven over medium heat. Add the minced garlic and red pepper flakes, cooking for about 30 seconds until fragrant.
4. Blend Roasted Tomatoes
Transfer the roasted tomatoes along with their pan juices to a blender or food processor. Add the garlic and oil mixture, and process until smooth.
5. Simmer Sauce
Return the tomato mixture to the sauté pan, adding the broth and any reserved tomato juices. Simmer the sauce for about 10 minutes, partially covering the pan if the sauce splatters.
6. Strain and Season Sauce
Pour the sauce through a fine-mesh sieve, using a spatula or spoon to push it through. Stir in the lemon juice, sugar, and a dash of hot-pepper sauce, adjusting the seasoning to taste.
The foundation of your sauce is the quality of the tomatoes. Choose ripe, in-season tomatoes for peak flavor. Heirloom varieties can provide a depth of taste that supermarket hybrids often lack.
The roasting process is crucial for concentrating and caramelizing the natural sugars in the tomatoes, which deepens the flavor. Arrange the tomatoes in a single layer on the baking sheet to ensure even roasting, and consider adding whole garlic cloves in their skins to the tray.
After blending, simmer the sauce on low heat to meld the flavors together. This step is also an opportunity to reduce the sauce to your desired consistency. A slow, gentle simmer is preferable to maintain the sauce's fresh and bright profile.
Finish the sauce with a drizzle of high-quality extra-virgin olive oil for richness and a handful of freshly chopped herbs for a burst of color and flavor.
Proper seasoning is key. Salt the tomatoes before roasting to help draw out moisture and concentrate flavor. After blending the sauce, adjust the seasoning again, keeping in mind that the flavors will become more pronounced as the sauce simmers and reduces.
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