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Tomato-Basil Sauce

This is my sister Albina's incredible tomato sauce. The secret is that it is always made with love.
Print Recipe
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 2 hours 5 minutes
Total Time 2 hours 15 minutes
Course Dinner
Servings 8

Ingredients
  

  • 2 Large Onions
  • 6 cloves Garlic
  • 1 cup Fresh Basil
  • 1 cup Olive OIl
  • 8 cans Crushed or Plum Tomatoes (large cans - Alta Cucina is the best but if you can't find them San Marzano or Tuttorosso are also very good)
  • 1 can Tomato Paste
  • 2 tbsp Salt
  • 2 tbsp Black Pepper
  • 3 tbsp Sugar
  • 2 Whole Carrots (peeled & washed)

Instructions
 

  • In food processor puree Onions, Garlic and Fresh Basil.
  • In large saucepan cook Olive Oil and pureed Onion/Garlic/Basil Mixture for 5 minutes.
  • Add Crushed or Plum Tomatoes, Tomato Paste, Salt, Black Pepper, Sugar and Carrots.
  • Simmer at least two hours for optimum flavor. The carrots not only take away the acidity but when they are soft is a good indication that the sauce is done.

Notes

Variations on Classic Tomato-Basil Sauce
Bolognese Sauce
To the sautéed onions add:
  • 1 lb ground beef
  • ½ lb ground veal
  • ½ lb ground pork
When browned add:
  • 1 cup red wine
Simmer 2 hours or longer. 
Sunday Sauce
This is your grandmother's cooked all day sauce.
To the sautéed onions add:
  • 1 beef tenderloin
  • 1 pork tenderloin
  • 2 chicken thighs & 2 chicken legs
    • This trick comes from Aunt Fanny - Papa thought her "gravy" was very special. Italians called Sunday tomato sauce "gravy" and never get caught dipping a piece of bread in the pot!
  • 5 lbs sausage links (mostly sweet but some hot too)
Brown meats then simmer 3-4 hours. This sauce was always started early in the morning because Sunday dinner was always at 2:00 in the afternoon. 
As a child my fondest memories were always centered on being at my grandmother’s for Sunday dinner. My brother and I always got to sit on each side of Mama, certainly a place of honor at the table. Papa majestically sat across from us at the other head of the table. The uncles all surrounded him and the girl cousins and aunts occupied the two sides.  To this day I can close my eyes and see the entire scene and each important person at their seat. The table was set with Franciscan Ivy pattern dishes (mama had the ivy, Aunt Lilly had the Apple pattern. Aunt Ann had the Sunburst pattern, and my mom had the Desert Rose pattern). When dinner was finished the girls (young & old) went to the kitchen and washed the dishes (by hand) and the men stayed at the table to play cards, smoke cigars and eat warm chestnuts. The young children (my brother, Leanne and I) would run around in the yard or inside if the weather wasn’t good. Then when the dishes were done the girls (my wonderful cousins and sister) would come to the parlor (the living room) and we would dance to the latest records on the Victrola. That’s where I learned to dance the jitter bug, the cha cha, do the slop and the pony. Those days are the memories I will treasure forever.  
Keyword Sauce, Tomato-Basil