Well, today was the big day. I planted so many Roma tomato plants because I wanted a shot at making pasta sauce completely from scratch. I have been harvesting them as they ripened and keeping them in the refrigerator to prevent them from further ripening. The latest big crop of tomatoes was finally ripe, and as I pulled them off the vines, I can't even describe how aromatic they smelled. I ended up with about 55 Roma tomatoes of various sizes. I'm reusing a picture, but this same bowl was completely filled.
I want to show how well the tomato plants are all doing. The Romas are thick and full, though they are coming to the end of their cycles. One plant in the front row has already begun to die for the year. The Brandywine plant (back row, closes to the camera) has continued to grow and produce. As of today, the Brandywine plant stands about 64" tall. Yes, that's over FIVE FEET tall. I totally did not expect that, but let's get back to the sauce.
Onions
I needed onions for the sauce. My green onions have already lost their tops for the year and filled out their bulbs to roughly the size of golf balls, so I went ahead and harvested most of them. I placed them out in the sun to dry out for about 30 minutes. They were then chopped finely and placed in the fridge until needed.
I needed onions for the sauce. My green onions have already lost their tops for the year and filled out their bulbs to roughly the size of golf balls, so I went ahead and harvested most of them. I placed them out in the sun to dry out for about 30 minutes. They were then chopped finely and placed in the fridge until needed.
Tomatoes
Like I said, I had over 55 tomatoes. I ran a knife around the top to pull out the stem core, cut an X shape in the bottom to aid with skin removal, and arranged them in a single layer in a large disposable roasting pan.
Like I said, I had over 55 tomatoes. I ran a knife around the top to pull out the stem core, cut an X shape in the bottom to aid with skin removal, and arranged them in a single layer in a large disposable roasting pan.
I have a five-burner propane grill with a thermostat, so I can roast very accurately and evenly. I turned all burners on and waited until the interior of the grill read about 400°F, then I put the tomatoes into the closed grill to roast. Roasting not only gives vegetables a nice, smoky flavor, but it slowly dehydrates the water from the food, thus concentrating the taste.
Here are the tomatoes after roasting for about 30 minutes. 30 minutes was the recommendation to roast them in the oven, but I think it was a bit too long on the grill. You can see the carmelization of the sugars in the tomatoes as it boiled and bubbled.
I removed the skins from all the tomatoes. As you can see, it ended up being about the same amount of tomatoes as you would get in a large can from the store. Yes, that's over 55 tomatoes. You sure need a lot of tomatoes to make sauce!
Other Flavors
Basil, Oregano, and Parsley, all fresh from the garden. It tasted fantastic, and made the house smell amazing while I was preparing it. The large plate is all Basil, with only a tiny handful of oregano chopped in. It may seem like a lot, but this is where the taste is AT! As far as spices, minced garlic and a tiny bit of crushed red pepper were also used.
Carrot and roasted Red Peppers. The carrot was fresh from the garden, but I didn't grow any peppers, so I bought a can of pre-roasted peppers that I put on the grill for about five minutes to dry up. Some recipes call for nearly a cup or more of granulated sugar, but adding the carrot and peppers adds just the right amount of sweetness without dumping processed sugar into the pot.
Wine. All real pasta sauces call for a red wine to be added, and they say that whatever you're drinking will be fine. I normally don't do much red wine, so I tried to grab something I'd actually finish off. The chianti was too expensive for one pot of sauce, so I grabbed this. I had never heard of it, so I opened the bottle and had a bit while I made the sauce. Holy crap, this stuff is dry! It has a lot of taste, but I couldn't even take it without a really fatty salami or cheese.
Making the Sauce
I began with a good olive oil. I use Olive Garden's extra virgin olive oil. It's a bit more expensive, but it is high-quality with no weird taste. I heated the olive oil until it became semi-clear and very fluid.
I added the onions, garlic, and all the herbs to sauté. Once the onion began to turn clear, I added the rest.
Into the pot go the tomatoes, carrots, peppers, wine, etc. When I got it all in, it just didn't seem like enough. I'm not so proud that I'll let a project fail just to keep it from adapting, so I went ahead and added a large can of crushed tomatoes to the pot. So, half the tomatoes are mine. It still counts. I turned the heat to low with the lid off and let it simmer for about an hour.
Simmering the sauce lets excess water evaporate away, leaving a thicker, richer sauce. It tasted SO good! I had planned on freezing it, so I spooned the cooled sauce into freezer bags. I filled three quart-size freezer bags. So, in the end, this may seem like it was a lot of work "for something I could just go get at the store," but it was MINE. I grew it, I made it, and I delivered happiness to my family through food that I had prepared. When you experience food like that, it becomes way more valuable than a can of Prego.