Freezer Tomato Sauce
Ingredients
- 6 pounds Roma tomatoes
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1½ cups onions, chopped
- ½ cup celery, chopped
- 3 large garlic cloves, minced
- 2 teaspoons sugar
- 1–2 teaspoons salt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- 1 red chili pepper, seeded and finely chopped
- 2 tablespoons fresh oregano
- 1–2 tablespoons fresh thyme
Instructions
- In a large pot bring 4 inches of water to a boil. Add tomatoes to boiling water for 1 minute. Drain, peel, seed, and chop tomatoes. Measure and set aside 10 cups chopped tomatoes. In the same pot, heat olive oil over medium heat. Add onions, celery, and garlic; cook for 5 minutes or until tender. Add chopped tomatoes, sugar, salt, black pepper, and chili peppers. Bring to boil; reduce heat and simmer uncovered for 45 minutes, stirring occasionally. Stir in oregano and thyme. Simmer uncovered for 15 minutes. Set aside and cool. In a food processor, pulse sauce to desired texture or press tomato mixture through a food mill. Transfer sauce to a bowl. Place bowl in a sink filled with ice water; stir sauce to cool. Add cooled sauce to freezer bags. Seal, label, and freeze up to 6 months. To thaw 1 portion, add frozen sauce to saucepan. Cook over medium heat until hot, stirring occasionally. Serve sauce over pasta.
