Ingredients
- fresh ROMA tomatoes
- yellow onion
- fresh garlic
- fresh herbs (basil, oregano, parsley, sage, rosemary)
- extra-virgin olive oil
- celery,
- small amount of vegan sugar
- cornstarch or vegan soymilk
- vegan red wine
- balsamic vinegar
- kosher salt
- fresh black pepper
- red pepper flakes, or favorite pepper sauce (Tabasco tops!)
- Fresh veggies (zucchini, eggplant, bell peppers)
- vegan sausage or "meat" crumbles (if wanted)
This recipe is more a basic how-to than an ingredient guide. Depending on how you plan to use the sauce, you could do things several ways. This recipe also specifies fresh ingredients, so it is definitely a summer/early autumn dish.
Peel, seed, and roughly chop the tomatoes. Set aside.
Next, in a LARGE pot, saute onions, chopped celery and carrot, and garlic in oil. Add splash of vegan red wine if desired (recommended). Add 2/3 of the tomatoes and simmer over medium heat until cooked down. Remove from heat and cool slightly. Blend in blender in batches. Return to pot.
Add remaining tomatoes and simmer on low heat. I usually simmer it VERY slowly fr about 3-4 hours, but you don''t have to.
While the sauce simmers, slice and saute the mushrooms in oil, and deglaze the pan with a little balsamic vinegar (thin with a little water). Add mushroOms and balsamic to sauce. Continue to simmer. Season with salt and pepper, herbs, and pepper flakes towards end of cooking.
At this point, you can use the sauce for lasagna or casseroles, or add veggies foor a hearty garden pasta sauce. The possibilities are endless. My neighboors usually smell this stuff cooking, especially on a rainy day. The process can be long, but the slow simmering lends an unimaginable depth of flavor. The vegan sugar can be used at the end to soften the acidity of the tomatoes.