Roasted Garlic Pasta Sauce

I love hoarding fresh garden tomatoes during the summer time. The last time we had a garden, I planted about 11 tomato plants. I love eating them fresh, but I like to plant so many so I can do some home canning. I love to do spaghetti sauce, pizza sauce, salsa and just some stewed tomatoes as well.

It's been several months now that my supply of spaghetti sauce has ended and I can't wait to make more of it by summer's end. In the meantime, I have been trying other recipes but have not found something I like as much.

With that said, however, I did like this sauce. It is simple, easy and pretty tasty, especially if you are a fan of garlic. I like garlic to begin with but I absolutely love the taste that roasted garlic brings to a dish.

This sauce, along with a sprinkle of freshly shaved parmesan cheese, would compliment any pasta. It would also be great on homemade pizza as well.


Roasted Garlic Pasta Sauce
1 large onion, chopped
3 T olive oil
1 T minced garlic
1/4 c. tomato paste
1 1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp balsamic vinegar
1/4 tsp crushed red pepper
1/4 tsp Italian seasoning
1/4 tsp dried basil
2 (28 oz) cans whole Italian tomatoes, with juices
3 whole heads roasted garlic, cloves removed from peels

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Peel off the loose papery skins of each of the heads of garlic. Cut the top 1/4-1/2 off of each of the heads and drizzle with olive oil. Wrap the garlic heads in foil and bake for about 45 minutes.

Allow garlic to cool enough to handle it without getting burned. Either squeeze the garlic cloves out with your hand, or use a small fork to pull them from their skins. Set garlic aside.

In a large saucepan saute onion in oil over med-high head until lightly golden, about 5-7 minutes. Add minced garlic and saute, stirring, for 1 min. Add tomato paste, salt, balsamic vinegar, crushed red pepper, Italian seasoning, and basil, and cook for another minute longer. Add tomatoes, with their juices, crushing with your hands as you place them in the pan. Stir to combine well and bring to boil. Reduce heat to slow simmer and cook for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Add roasted garlic cloves and stir to combine. Continue to simmer for 30-45 min. longer or until flavors have come together.

Serve over pasta or use as pizza sauce. Makes about 1 1/2 quarts of sauce.

SOURCE: Perry's Plate

Linked to...
Seasonal Sunday @ Real Sustenance
Savory Sunday @ The Sweet Details
Potluck Sunday @ Mommy's Kitchen