Simple Tomato Sauce

Total Time: 1 hr 35 mins Preparation Time: 15 mins Cook Time: 1 hr 20 mins

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
• 1 small onion, chopped
• 2 garlic cloves, chopped
• 1 stalk celery, chopped
• 1 carrot, chopped
• sea salt
• fresh ground black pepper
• 2 (32 ounce) cans crushed tomatoes
• 2 dried bay leaves
• 4 tablespoons unsalted butter (optional)

Recipe

• 1 in a large casserole pot, heat oil over medium high heat.
• 2 add onion and garlic and saute until soft and translucent, about 5 to 10 minutes.
• 3 add celery and carrots and season with salt and pepper.
• 4 saute until all the vegetables are soft, about 5 to 10 minutes.
• 5 add tomatoes and bay leaves and simmer uncovered on low heat for 1 hour or until thick.
• 6 remove bay leaves and check for seasoning.
• 7 if sauce still tastes acidic, add unsalted butter, 1 tablespoon at a time to round out the flavors.
• 8 add 1/2 the tomato sauce into the bowl of a food processor. process until smooth. continue with remaining tomato sauce, or use an immersion blender.
• 9 if not using all the sauce, allow it to cool completely and pour 1 to 2 cup portions into freezer plastic bags. this will freeze up to 6 months.