Servings: 2 -3 cups
Ingredients
- 5-6 lbs Roma or San Marzano tomatoes (sub 1x 796mL can organic diced tomatoes)
- 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil.
- 1 large onion (diced)
- 3 garlic cloves (minced)
- 1 can organic tomato paste (157mL)
- 1 tbsp Italian seasoning
- 2 tsp honey
- 1 ceylon cinnamon stick
- 1 bay leaf
- 3-4 whole cloves
- Unrefined pink or sea salt (to taste)
- Fresh cracked pepper (to taste)
Instructions
If Using Fresh Tomatoes:
- Bring a large pot of water to a boil.
- Add whole tomatoes and boil for 1-2 minutes until the skins loosen.
- Strain and transfer to an ice bath to stop cooking (I like to fill a clean sink with cold water).
- Once cooled, make a small slit in the skin and peel it off. Roughly chop the tomatoes.
For Both Fresh & Canned Tomatoes:
- In a large pot, heat olive oil over medium heat.
- Add the chopped onion and garlic and sauté until translucent (about 4-5 minutes).
- Stir in the tomatoes, tomato paste, Italian seasoning, and honey. Season with salt and pepper.
- Place the cinnamon stick, cloves, and bay leaf into an unbleached loose-leaf tea bag (or wrap in cheesecloth) and add to the pot. This makes removing them super easy later!
- Bring to a low boil over medium heat.
- Reduce the heat to low and let the sauce simmer uncovered for at least 30 minutes, or for up to 2-3 hours for a deeper, richer flavour. Stir occasionally, allowing it to thicken to your desired consistency.
- Remove the spice bag and discard.
- Use an immersion blender to blend until smooth, or carefully blend in batches using a regular blender.