Basic Italian Tomato Sauce

Course Sauce
Cuisine Italian

Author Vincenzo's Plate

Equipment
Medium saucepan
Sharp knife
Chopping-board

Ingredients
¼ Onion Chopped finely
2 Carrots Peeled and cut in half
2 Branches of celery
Fresh Italian basil A generous portion
Fresh Italian parsley A generous portion
2 bottles Italian passata for tomato sauce
A handful of dry mixed herbs
2 pinches Rock salt
1 glass Water

Instructions
1. Get a medium size saucepan and put it onto the stove at a medium heat, adding 4 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil
and the finely chopped onions.
2. Stir regularly until they brown (normally this takes a couple of minutes). Chop the parsely and basil (you can also
break the basil with your hands to save some of the flavour).
3. Now add the passata and stir it in with the onions.remembering you can add other vegetables and ingredients later
as this is just a basic sauce.
4. It’s now time to help strengthen the flavour of your sauce by adding fresh herbs and vegetables.
5. Add parsley and basil, then the carrots.
6. Now, get your two branches of celery and break off the heads. Then break the celery in half using your hands if you
like, and put them into your tomato sauce as well.
7. It is important that you add the celery so don’t leave it out. The flavour it adds to your pasta sauce cannot be
replaced!
8. Add 2 ½ pinches of rock salt for added flavour, and stir.
9. My secret ingredient is now the dried mixed herbs. Add 2 pinches to the sauce and continue to stir. The smell will be
mouth-watering!
10. Lastly, add a glass of water to the tomato sauce and stir it once again.
11. The sauce needs to simmer on a medium high heat for around 40 minutes with the lid on. Remember to check on and
stir the sauce every 5-8 minutes so the tomato does not stick to the bottom.
12. Once it is ready, remove it from your stove and add it to your favourite pasta or dish!
13. E ora si mangia, Vincenzo’s Plate….Enjoy!