Mild tomato sauce

Ingredients

• 700 g plain tomato passata
• 70 g tomato paste
• 1 piece yellow onion
• 1 clove garlic clove
• 120 ml cider vinegar
• 90 g brown sugar
• 2 tsp fine salt
• 1 tsp sweet paprika
• 1 pinch ground cayenne pepper
• 1 pinch ground black pepper
• 1 pinch ground clove
• 1 pinch ground cinnamon
• 1 leaf bay leaf

Method

1. Peel the onion and garlic, then chop them very finely. The more even the cut, the more evenly the sauce will cook before it is blended.
2. Combine the plain tomato passata, tomato paste, onion, garlic, cider vinegar, brown sugar, fine salt, sweet paprika, cayenne pepper, black pepper, ground clove, cinnamon, and bay leaf in a heavy-bottomed saucepan.
3. Mix thoroughly while cold with a spatula or whisk to dissolve the sugar and distribute the tomato paste. The base should be dark red, fluid, but already coating.
4. Bring to a simmer over medium heat, uncovered. As soon as small, regular bubbles appear around the edges, lower the heat to maintain gentle cooking, never a strong boil.
5. Let it reduce gently, stirring often, especially along the bottom of the saucepan. The sauce is ready to blend when it becomes darker, the bubbles break slowly on the surface, and a spatula drawn across the bottom leaves a visible trail before the sauce closes over it.
6. Remove the bay leaf. Blend thoroughly with an immersion blender until perfectly smooth, then scrape down the sides and blend again to break up the onion fibers.
7. Pass the sauce through a fine sieve, pressing with a ladle. This gives the condiment its traditional texture: smooth, dense, with no pieces or perceptible skin.
8. Return the strained sauce to the saucepan. Cook once more over very low heat, stirring until it clearly coats the back of a spoon and falls in a thick ribbon rather than as a liquid.
9. Taste off the heat. The sauce should taste sweet first, then tangy, with a slightly spicy finish. If the acidity seems too sharp, continue gently cooking for a few minutes; if it seems too sweet, add a very small touch of vinegar and stir.
10. Pour while hot into a very clean jar. Let cool slightly, seal, and refrigerate. The sauce is better after resting, when the vinegar rounds out and the spices blend into the tomato.

Nutrition

Per serving

Energy

149.4 kcal

Protein

2.44 g

Carbohydrate

32.17 g

Fat

0.53 g

Fibre

3.62 g

Calcium

30.72 mg

Iron

0.99 mg

Magnesium

11.37 mg