Cabernet Tomato Sauce

This is a great sauce to make when you have leftover wine. Okay who am I kidding, there's never any leftover wine here. Let me rephrase, this is a great way to use up a bunch of tomatoes.

We have a tomato plant in our garden and surprisingly, we did not kill it along the way and it ended up producing a ton of tomatoes this summer. I used many of them for salads and sandwiches but there were still over a dozen ripe ones left that needed to be used up quickly before they spoiled.

I made this one lazy afternoon. While it simmered I folded some laundry. The natural sugars from the vegetables and wine release and make this incredibly rich and slightly sweet sauce that is incredible over pasta.

Cabernet Tomato Sauce

• 10 roma tomatoes
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 1 onion, chopped small
• 1 tbsp chopped garlic
• 1/2 pound sliced mushrooms
• 1 red bell pepper, chopped small
• 3/4 cup red wine (fuller bodied like cabernet)
• 1/2 tsp sugar
• 2 tsp fresh oregano, chopped fine
• 2 tsp fresh basil, chopped fine
• kosher salt and freshly ground pepper

Heat up a large pot of water over high heat. When it comes to a boil, add the tomatoes and simmer for 2 minutes.

Then remove the tomatoes from the pot and drop them into an ice water bath.

Skins should peel off easily; discard the skins. Roughly chop the tomatoes into big chunks and set aside.

Heat the olive oil in a medium-sized pot or sauce pan over medium heat. When oil is glistening, add the onions and cook for 4 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add the garlic and cook for one more minute stirring constantly. Add the red pepper, tomatoes, and mushrooms, 1/2 tsp salt, 1/4 tsp pepper. Bring it to a boil, then turn down the heat to a low simmer. Simmer covered for 1/2 hour. Stir occasionally.

Add red wine, herbs and sugar; cover and cook on a low simmer for 1 hour. Stir occasionally. Uncover for the last 15 minutes if your sauce seems too watery. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Serve over a pasta of your choice that is cooked al dente.