Roasted Tomato Sauce

Photo: Patricia Turo

Ingredients

8 ripe plum or vine tomatoes

4 cloves garlic

1 medium onion

2 sprigs basil

1 tablespoon oregano (if you don’t have basil)

Salt& freshly ground pepper to taste

1 small dried red hot pepper (optional)

1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil

1/2 cup red or dry white wine

Preparation

Cut the tomatoes in quarters and put them in a large baking dish (do not remove the seeds or the skins). Roughly chop the garlic and onions and add them to the tomatoes. Put in the basil or the oregano, salt and pepper and toss the ingredients. Add the wine and toss again to be sure that all the ingredients are covered with the herbs. All the ingredients can be roughly chopped because they will be put through a food mill at the end.

Place the baking dish in the oven at 400ºF and cook for 45 minutes or until the tomatoes are thoroughly cooked. Move the sauce to a food mill and grind out all the juices removing the skins and seeds. If there is too much liquid in the sauce, place it in a pan and reduce it.

The sauce will have a warm smoky flavor and can be served over any type of pasta.