Tomato Sauce Flexibility

One of my favourite things is Tomato Sauce. It's one of those things that is the simplest thing but for some reason so many people get it wrong. It's the key to a great tasting pizza or a delicious pasta dish.

I made a huge pot of tomato sauce recently using some heirloom tomatoes and some additional canned crush tomatoes. The reason for using both is to get a great depth of flavour and adding freshness to the taste of the sauce. I like to add garlic, diced sweet onions and fresh basil if I have some. Salt and pepper to taste of course. Then everything else you add is bonus seasonings. I like to add fresh parsley and if you like it spicy you can add some chili flakes. Some people like their tomato sauce sweet and a good way to make it sweeter is to add a whole carrot to the pot when cooking and then fish it out when it's done.

But what's really great about Tomato Sauce is all the things you can do with it.

So far with this batch of tomato sauce I have made Eggplant parmesan using up some left over fried eggplant.

Then I cooked a batch of meatballs in the tomato sauce and last night I decided to use up some frozen spinach that I have had in the freezer for a while and a box of cannelloni noodles that I had on hand and cheeses that I had in the fridge.. Simplicity at it's best. Just takes a little prep time and about a half an hour or so in the oven and you have CANNELLONI. it's a lot easier than it sounds and looks and tastes great.

I could use the rest of the sauce for pizza, lasagna, spaghetti or even to add to chilli. It's a great staple food and really easy to whip up the greatest tasting meals if you just get that tomato sauce right.

Skip the jars of pre made sauce and make up a batch of fresh tomato sauce. You will be saying yumm with every bite you eat and will wonder why you bought that ready made stuff.