The first time I made Marcella Hazan’s now famous tomato sauce, I went and bought her cookbook, Essential’s of Classic Italian Cooking right away. Because if her other recipes were anywhere close to as unassumingly brilliant as that sauce (they are), I wanted to have them. Every time I make it, I doubt whether tomatoes, an onion, and butter can really be that flavorful. But it always is.
We had a late start to summer this year, and tomatoes are still showing up in our garden and at the farmer’s market despite the start of fall. After finding myself with a bigger batch of heirlooms than I knew we could eat, I decided they would be perfect for this sauce. Since there are only really 3 ingredients, the simpleness of the sauce really allows the flavors of the tomatoes you use to shine through. I recommend using a few different kinds of heirlooms–it helps balances the flavor of each variety.
- 2 lbs ripe heirloom tomatoes, peeled and seeded
- 1 medium yellow onion
- 5 tablespoons unsalted butter
- Salt, to taste
- Roughly chop tomatoes. Skin and halve onion. In a medium saucepan, combine tomatoes, onion halves, and butter over medium heat. Once the tomatoes start to boil, lower heat to a gentle simmer. Simmer, stirring every 10 minutes or so, until the tomatoes are completely broken down and the sauce is thickened, about 40-50 minutes. Remove from heat. Season with salt to taste.
Yummy! This looks so good! I am always on the lookout for a new homemade tomato sauce recipe! Thanks so much!