Homemade tomato sauce with basil

For 4 people

‍
Ingredients:

‍
• 1.5 kg of ripe tomatoes
• 1 small leek
• 1 medium red onion
• 2 cloves of garlic
• 1 large carrot
• 4 tablespoons of olive oil (and a little more for finishing)
• salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 4–5 fresh basil leaves

‍
Preparation:

‍
1. Wash and dry the tomatoes, then cut them into larger cubes – do not peel the skin.
2. Finely chop the leek, onion and garlic. Gently sauté them in 4 tablespoons of olive oil in a wide pan until they soften and release their aroma.
3. Add the tomatoes, stir and let them simmer gently over low heat.
4. Peel the carrot and grate it finely, then add it to the mixture once the tomatoes release their juice.
5. Cook over low heat, stirring constantly, until the tomatoes almost break down and the sauce becomes thick and glossy.
6. Towards the end of cooking, add a little more olive oil, season with salt and pepper and toss in torn fresh basil leaves.
7. Remove from the heat and let it rest briefly before serving.
‍

Note:

‍
This sauce is the base for many dishes – perfect with pasta, roasted meat, fish or simply with a piece of bread. If you want a smoother texture, you can lightly blend it with an immersion blender, but I prefer to leave it rustic – so you can taste every chunk of tomato and hint of grated carrot.
‍

The story behind the recipe

‍
I cook this sauce every summer, when the tomatoes are at their peak – full of sunshine, sweet and meaty. In the morning, we pick them from the garden, still warm from the sun, and together we start chopping, sautéing and stirring. The aroma of onions sizzling in oil always fills the kitchen first, and then comes the real thing – the scent of tomatoes, basil and memories.
I’ve cooked it a thousand times – for family, for friends, for guests who have been asking for it in various dishes for years. But the most special sauce is the one I cook for my granddaughter. I always set aside a small bowl just for her, with only bread, because that’s the best way to taste everything the sauce carries – summer, love and simplicity.

‍