I’ve always taught my kids to enjoy cooking and cherish time spent in the kitchen. How satisfying it can be when you create something from scratch that not only tastes amazing but is good for you as well. One of the first recipes I taught them to make was a homemade tomato sauce. Once I learned to make my own, I have never purchased store-bought again. It is just that easy and so much more flavorful! My Simply Paired Tomato Sauce has all the elements of a good Italian homemade sauce — with a few added touches that make it my own. The most important thing to remember is to use the best ingredients you can find. I like to serve this dish with homemade Foccacia bread (stay tuned for the upcoming recipe).
I chose to go a bit unconventional on the wine pairing as well. Of course, you could always pair this with a nice bottle of Chianti or other medium-bodied Italian red wine. However, I chose a Portuguese red wine from the Bairrada wine region. The 2016 V Puro Doravante Tinto is smooth and elegant and has a nice balance of acidity and tannins. The aroma has a hint of flowers which I think complements the Herbs de Provence I use in my sauce. I hope you enjoy this pairing!
Simply Paired Tomato Sauce
Ingredients
- ¼ cup extra virgin olive oil
- 2 whole garlic cloves, smashed
- 1/2 tsp Herbs de Provence
- 1 28 oz can San Marzano whole tomatoes
- 1/4 cup dry white wine
- 1/4 cup chicken stock
- 1/2 tsp honey
- 1 Whole sprig of basil
- 1 Small parmesan cheese rind
- 1 tablespoon butter
- Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
- 1 lb. fresh pasta (I used linguine)
- ¼ cup freshly grated parmesan cheese
Directions
- Step 1 Place the tomatoes in a food processor and gently pulse until tomatoes are just-chopped. I like to have a little texture to my sauce.
- Step 2 Heat the olive oil in a large sauté pan on medium heat. Add the garlic and Herbs de Provence and cook for about 1 minute. Add the chopped tomatoes and stir to combine. Bring to a boil. Add the wine and stock and cook for 1-2 minutes. Stir in the honey, basil, and cheese rind. Season with kosher salt and pepper.
- Step 3 Lower the heat and simmer the sauce, partially covered for 20 minutes. Remove the lid and cook uncovered for another 5 minutes. Remove the cheese rind. Set aside
- Step 4 For the pasta, bring a large pot of water to a rapid boil. Season generously with kosher salt. Cook your pasta to package directions. For this recipe, I used fresh linguine which took about 3-4 minutes to cook. Drain the pasta and add to the sauce. Add the parmesan cheese and stir to combine. Finish with fresh basil and more parmesan cheese.
