Post swim recipe: everyday tomato sauce

A simple and nutritious tomato sauce recipe that comes in handy for a variety of meals. Recipe by Anna Southwell of Loves Cafe.

I’ve written this simple recipe to cook with the kids. It’s a versatile base for lots of meals – think pasta, stews, pies, fajitas. Seeing where food comes from, starting with seed and ending with plate is great for us all. You will need a blender for this recipe.

INGREDIENTS

1.5kg of fresh, ripe, plump tomatoes (10-12 average size)
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 large onion
2 cloves of garlic
A handful of fresh basil leaves
1 teaspoon of dried oregano
Salt and pepper

METHOD

Method:

1. Roughly chop the tomatoes and set aside
2. Gently heat oil in the saucepan. Add finely chopped onions
   and soften for 6-8 minutes, then add peeled and crushed garlic and cook for a further 2-3 minutes, taking care not to burn.
3. Add tomatoes to the pan, with the dried oregano, and half of the basil, torn apart by hand to release the fragrance and
   flavour. Season with a good pinch of both salt and pepper, give it a good stir and leave the tomatoes to simmer on a low heat, stirring every 10 minutes or so, adding a splash of water as and when needed. The heat should be high enough for a gentle simmer, but low enough so the sauce doesn’t stick to the bottom of the pan.
4. After around an hour the tomatoes should have reduced to a think, jam like consistency. Remove from the heat and, using a stick blender, lightly whizz the sauce until it’s the consistency you prefer. (It’s still nice with a little texture.) Tear up and add the rest of your basil.
5. Your delicious homemade sauce is ready to use or keep in the fridge for up to three days. Why not make a batch and freeze so you’ve got one for a midweek tea?

Discover more post-swim recipes here.