I'll start out by saying I have no respect for European traditions so the authenticity dweebs can miss me.
This is a pretty simple but deeply flavorful sauce that I'm going to be running through konjac pasta (with smoky bacon of course) and to put on waffle pizzas.
Per Serving (by the tablespoon, this stuff goes a long way, so even when you want more of it like in a pasta, less is more) Cronometer is reporting:
0.4g Protein
1.6g Carbs (1.1 Net)
2.8g Fat
What you'll need:
4 Tablespoons of Butter (Kerrygold or get out)
2 Tablespoons of EV Olive Oil
1/2 Small Red Onion, diced.
3 Cloves of Garlic, diced if you like Chunks (i do), or minced finely. Garlic paste and Jarlic works fine here too in a pinch.
Better than Bouillion Vegetable Base – 2 tablespoons – you can go for a meat base, or even the garlic one, but I like the vegetable because it brings a little bit of the sweetness you want.
1 tablespoon each of Garlic Powder and Onion Powder
1/2 Tablespoon each of Smoked Paprika and Chili Powder
2 Tablespoons of Tomato Paste
1 15 oz Can of Crushed Tomatoes – San Marzanos are cool and all, but don't drive yourself nuts trying to get them. Just don't buy Walmart brands or Hunts. Go somewhere like a Sprouts and buy their store brand.
1 tablespoon Tamari Soy Sauce (full sodium)
1/2 tablespoon Balsamic Vinegar
A Sprig each of fresh Oregano and Basil (if you want to swap for dry, throw a couple tablespoons of each in a dry pan and let it get fragrant)
Salt and Pepper
To make it:
Start by melting the butter with a tablespoon of olive oil (rest comes letter), and as it comes up dice your onion, and throw it in once the butter is all melted. Let that soften up for a bit.
In the mean time get your garlic smashed and cut up however you're going to do it, then throw that in once the onions are softened (grab one and see if its smushy, but not falling apart). Let that get fragrant for about 30 seconds, then go in with your vegetable base and your powders. Toast that all off and stir the pan vigorously so nothing burns. Then do the same with the Tomato Paste
Then dump in your tomatoes, fill the can back up with water, and toss that in too. Then add your Tamari, Balsamic, and herbs, and then bring it all to a boil and then to a nice simmer, and let that go for 45 minutes to an hour, stirring every so often and scraping down the sides of the pan.
You want the sauce to reduce down to where it starts to feel almost chunky. Nice and thick! Once its there, season with plenty of salt and black pepper, and give it another douse of 1 tablespoon of olive oil as it comes off the heat.
In the mean time, for safety, boil some water and dunk your jars into them, along with the lids, to sanitize them. Let them hang out in there until you're ready to capture the sauce, and then just spoon it in. Spill some on the counter, eat it like a degenerate.
Let it cool to room temp then throw it in the fridge and let it develop and get gorgeous. Resist the urge to eat it out of the jar like some kind of Gollum.
I made this specifically for pasta and pizza applications, but anything you could use a premade tomato sauce for would probably benefit from this.
by Emberashn