How to Make Fresh Tomato Sauce

One of the joys of growing your own tomatoes is being able to make fresh spaghetti sauce and fresh salsa. Using perfectly ripe tomatoes makes your sauces much better than using grocery store tomatoes or canned tomatoes.

To prepare the tomatoes, have a large pot of boiling water on the stove. With a sharp knife, make an “X” on the bottom of the tomatoes. Place 6-10 tomatoes at a time into the boiling water. Leave them in for just a minute, then remove them and place them in an ice water bath. You will then be able to remove the skin easily. After the skin is removed, core the tomatoes and cut them in quarters. Drain them in a colander. It is important to drain off as much water as possible or your sauce will be very thin. The tomatoes are now ready to use to make sauce.

To make spaghetti sauce, heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a large sauce pan. Add chopped onion, celery, and garlic and cook until tender. Add the tomatoes, some salt and pepper, a bay leaf and some basil and simmer until the tomatoes fall apart and the sauce is thick. To make fresh salsa, chop the tomatoes into half-inch dices. Add chopped onion, chopped green pepper, minced garlic, minced jalapeños, minced fresh cilantro or Italian flat leaf parsley, salt, pepper and lime juice. Mix well and refrigerate for 2 to 4 hours before serving. If you prefer a cooked salsa, just place all the ingredients in a sauté pan and cook until the onions and peppers are tender.