Saucing from source
Kandla Nijhowne
Almost anything we cook will be fabulous when the ingredients are fresh and the sauces are not sourced from a readymade jar. Such is the magic of food from scratch. Make your own pizza sauce with ripe red tomatoes and garlic and fresh basil leaves and see the difference for yourself ! If basil isn’t easily available you can opt for the dried variety.
Pasta sauce
Ingredients
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 3/4 tsp paprika
- 2 tsp dried basil
- 1 tsp dried oregano
- 1/2 tsp brown sugar
- Salt and pepper to taste
- 1 cup thick tomato puree
- 1 1/2 tbsp finely chopped garlic
- 250 gm tomatoes chopped (medium)
Method
- Chop the tomatoes and stir fry in olive oil till soft.
- Add the garlic, puree, salt, pepper and sugar, then cook for another 5 minutes.
- Scatter the basil and oregano into the pot. Cook till it is fragrant (1-2 minutes).There should be no liquid left.
- Stir in the paprika and check seasoning.
- You can directly use this sauce for pizzas or pasta, or transfer it into a jar to refrigerate.
Note: I like my sauce chunky but feel free to put this through a blender if you prefer the smooth variety. This sauce ages well in the fridge for 12-15 days so long as is not runny. Ordinary sugar or even ‘shakkar’ can be used instead of brown sugar. To use this sauce for a pasta meal, thin it down with a little boiling water or more puree.
(Nijhowne is a Chandigarh-based culinary expert)
