A delicious and very versatile sauce that can be used over pasta, various vegetable dishes, on a pizza base, thinned down as a soup …. in one word in any recipe where a hearty tomato sauce is required. I use it in the recipe ‘Airport Potatoes’ instead of tinned tomatoes (see previous recipe). It makes a big enough quantity so you can freeze some for a quick meal or two on busy days.

INGREDIENTS

• 4 medium carrots
• 1 head of garlic
• 2 red onions
• 2 leeks
• 100 ml extra virgin olive oil
• 15 good sized plum tomatoes (or 20 if the are not so big)
• salt & pepper to taste
• 50 g basil leaves
• chopped red chilli to taste – optional

METHOD

1. Finely chop carrots, garlic, onions and leeks
2. Heat olive oil in a deep pot
3. Add vegetable mix and allow to simmer over medium heat for about 10 minutes
4. Place the tomatoes in a blender and blitz until smooth
5. Add the tomato puree to the vegetable mix
6. Bring to boil, add salt, pepper & basil leaves and chilli, if using
7. Simmer on low heat for about 30 – 40 minutes