The following “Chew This!” column originally appeared in “The Courier-Times” and / or “The Shelbyville News”. Check their websites for further information and dates.

Homemade Tomato Sauce

Blaise Doubman

I love a homemade white sauce. The recipe is simple, whisk together whole milk, heavy cream, egg yolk, white pepper, Parmesan cheese, and a little truffle oil. Add this to any type of noodle and you have homemade fettuccine sauce. The only thing I like better than white sauce is red! So many people buy red sauce in the grocery store, not knowing how easy it is to make at home. The recipe I am sharing today can use store-bought crushed tomatoes or fresh! I love using fresh tomatoes when they are in season. If you use fresh tomatoes for this recipe, be sure to deseed the tomatoes by rubbing the cut side on a box grater. If you find the tomato residual still has a lot of seeds you could also strain the mixture before continuing.

This recipe, along with my other recipes, can be made to suit your specific tastebuds. If you do not like basil, simply replace it with an herb that you do like. A pinch of red pepper flakes goes along way, if you like your sauce to be a little spicier add more.Are use white granulated sugar in this recipe to bring out the full taste of tomatoes. You can also leave this out. What I find is that the salt, olive oil, onion, garlic, tomatoes and water are really the essentials to this recipe. Anything else you can add to this recipe can be done by your own specific tastes.

Homemade Tomato Sauce

Leftover sauce can be kept chilled in the refrigerator.

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 medium onion, diced fine

2 tablespoons minced garlic

2 teaspoons dried basil

Pinch of red pepper flakes

1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon white granulated sugar

1 tablespoon unsalted butter

28 oz crushed tomatoes 

¼ cup water

Start by adding the olive oil to a medium size skillet over medium heat.

Once the olive oil begins to shimmer and shine, add in the prepared onion.

Next, add in the minced garlic. Stir constantly for about two minutes.

Add in the dried basil, red pepper flakes, salt, white granulated sugar, and unsalted butter.

Melt together and stir constantly for about five minutes.

Add and the crushed tomatoes, and water. Stir this together for five minutes.

Reduce heat to medium, stir and simmer for about 30 minutes.

If the sauce is too thick, add more water.

Ask and Answer: Pam from New Castle, wondered if she could toast the bread for my Beef Manhattan recipe. Absolutely! A delicious twist on an old favorite.