The best tomato sauce ever

Finally, this long day is coming to an end as I cuddle up in my duvet (yes it is still so cold and wet here, I miss Mauritius!). I've just finished my demography coursework and food prep for my long day at university tomorrow. It has also just hit me that I only have one week of lectures left, ever! This is quite a scary thought but I am excited and can only hope that good and exciting things await!

This recipe is definitely one of the simplest ones on this blog. However, it is also probably one of the tastiest things you'll make! I remember when I used to work at a local cafe, the head chef Jaimie would also give me tips passed down from his mother! He always went on about how the secret to a good tomato sauce is to add in carrots and celery and to allow for the sauce to slowly simmer. I took on his tips, and I was definitely not dissapointed. I skipped out the celery because I made this in a rush, but definitely use it if you have it in stock. I also used canned tomatoes because they are already slightly cooked down but you could swap this for fresh tomatoes, cooking for sauce for longer. This sauce could be used for a variety of things, use as is with pasta or couscous or add in some cooked tofu, chicken, veggies etc. Use it in lasagnas or even to stuffed and roast some butternut, the options are endless.

EASY TOMATO BASE SAUCE

•  2 cloves garlic, crushed
• Half a large onion, finely chopped
• 1 can of tomatoes
• 1 medium sized carrot, grated 
• 1 tsp of fresh or dried herbs: basil, thyme or oregano
• Salt
• Olive oil

1. In a saucepan on low heat, pour in a couple of tablespoons of olive oil. Add in the garlic and onion and let this good for a good 5-10 minutes until lightly browned.
2. Add in the grated carrot and let this cook down for a further couple of minutes. Add in the herbs.
3. Pour in the can of tomatoes, breaking them up. Let the sauce simmer for a minimum of 30 minutes, storing occasionally and adding water if it dries up.
4. At this point, you can add in any cooked meat or vegetables. I added some vegetarian mock meat and some grilled courgette slices.
5. Season and enjoy.

Healthy take on pecan pie coming up soon!

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