Ingredients
Scale
- 6–8 large tomatoes, quartered
- 4 large whole garlic cloves
- 5–6 basil leaves
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/8 teaspoon crushed red pepper
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400F
- Wash and quarter tomatoes
- Arrange on a baking tray
- Add the whole garlic cloves and basil leaves
- Drizzle with olive oil
- Sprinkle with salt and crushed red pepper
- Toss with your hands to evenly coat the oil (on garlic and basil leaves too)
- Bake in the oven for 30-35 minutes
- Remove basil leaves from tray and discard (see note)
- Pour tomatoes, garlic, and liquid into a food processor, pulse to get the right consistency (see note)
- Place in saucepan if needed to reduce liquid, simmer on low
- Salt to taste
Notes
- You can keep the basil leaves in the sauce if desired, but they will add a darker color to the finished sauce. I like to remove the basil leaves for a better colored sauce, and use fresh basil as garnish when I serve it.
- I prefer to use a food processor to make this sauce, but if you do not have a food processor, you can use a blender. It does change the consistency and color of the sauce as the ground tomato seeds render the color a bit more orange and the sauce a bit thicker.
- Since the type and quality of tomatoes vary so much in liquid content, there may be times that the sauce is too thin for your liking. If so, place in a sauce pan and simmer on low without the lid until the sauce has reached the right consistency. Season to taste.
- Add more crushed red pepper if you like a little heat to the sauce.