Last month, I posted a recipe for marinara sauce which I hope you all found super easy! This weekend I was feeling inspired by all the Jersey tomatoes at the farmers market and decided to give fresh tomato sauce a try!

I have never done this before so I took to the internet for a little research on how to prepare the tomatoes – core, score, poach and peel. That can’t be too hard right? There are a bunch of steps but don’t get freaked it’s really not hard!

1 1/2-2 lbs. fresh plum tomatoes
2 tbsp. olive oil
2 cloves garlic
1/2 tsp. pepper
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. garlic powder
1/2 tsp. dried basil
6 fresh basil leaves (torn in pieces)

Bring a medium pot of water to a fast boil. While the water is come to a boil, score your tomatoes. To score the tomatoes, put a shallow X in the bottom with a sharp knife. This will help to peel the tomatoes.

Next, you will want to prepare an ice bath to stop the cooking process. Fill a large bowl with cold water and ice cubes. Working in batches, drop a few tomatoes into the boiling water for about 1 – 1 1/2 minutes (the skin will start to shrivel). Remove from the pot with a slotted spoon and put into the ice bath. Once the tomatoes are cool you can peel the skin with your fingers.

Depending on how you like your sauce, you can dice the tomatoes for a more rustic style or you can pulse in the food processor/blender for a smoother sauce.

Once the tomatoes are ready to go, heat olive oil in a medium saucepan. Add garlic and cook until it starts to brown. Pour tomatoes into pan slowly to prevent splattering. Add salt, pepper, garlic powder and dried basil. Mix all spices into the sauce. Let sauce come to a slow boil for about 8-10 minutes. Add fresh basil leaves and reduce heat to allow sauce to simmer for around 15 minutes stirring occasionally.

** Do not cover the pot when making your sauce! The cover will make your sauce watery.