Tomato Sauce Tuscan Style Recipes

TUSCAN TOMATO SOUP (PAPPA AL POMODORO)

Steps:

• Heat 3 tablespoons olive oil in a large saucepan over medium heat; add chopped onion, chopped carrot, and chopped celery. Cook until softened, stirring often, about 15 minutes. Stir in tomato passata and milk. Season with salt, cover and simmer tomato sauce until flavors are well combined, 20 minutes.
• Combine whole onion, whole carrot, and whole celery stalk in a stockpot; cover with water and bring to a boil. Simmer for 15 minutes. Strain vegetables and keep stock warm.
• Stir 1 1/2 cups stock into tomato sauce. Add stale bread; stir and set aside for 15 to 20 minutes to allow the bread to soften.
• Combine tomato-bread mixture, 1 1/4 cups grated Parmesan cheese, and 1 teaspoon of olive oil in a blender; blend until mixture has consistency of a mousse.
• Ladle soup into bowls and serve with shaved Parmesan cheese and drizzled with remaining olive oil. Garnish with basil leaves.

TUSCAN TOMATO SAUCE

Steps:

• Spray a medium nonstick saucepan with cooking spray; heat over medium heat until hot. Add the onion and garlic; cook and stir about 5 min or until tender.
• Stir in tomatoes, tomato sauce, basil, oregano, rosemary and pepper; bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer uncovered for 6-10 min or until it has reached the desired consistency is reached - stirring occasionally.

TUSCAN-STYLE TOMATO SAUCE

Steps:

• 1) Wash the tomatoes in cold water. Cut them in half lengthwise. Place in a heavy saucepan (I use an All Clad sauce pan, the tomatoes should fill no higher than 1/2 the height of the pan), COVER, and cook over medium heat for 10 minutes. (If using canned tomatoes, ignore this step and start at step #3 with 4 cups of canned tomatoes with their juice) 2) Meanwhile, put 3-4 Tablespoons of the olive oil in a small sauté pan, place it on medium heat and sauté the carrots for 10 minutes. (The goal here is to get them to soften up a bit before added to the sauce to make it easier to pass through the food mill later. If you have an "industrial strength" food mill, this step is not necessary, proceed straight to step #3). 3) Add the carrots, onion, salt (I recommend 11⁄2 teaspoons for this quantity, but this needs to be adjusted for personal taste and health considerations accordingly) and sugar and cook at a steady simmer UNCOVERED, for 30 minutes. 4) Purée everything through a food mill into fresh pan (or transfer the sauce to another pan or bowl and purée it back into this saucepan), using the disc with the smallest holes. This is the most arduous step, but it's important to use the right disc to remove the skin and seeds, and you want to end up with no more than 1⁄2 cup of vegetable matter left in the food mill to maximize the flavor of the sauce. Make sure and scrape off the bottom of the disc with a spatula to get all of the puréed vegetables. Get the kids to help if your arms get tired! This step takes about 10-15 minutes. 5) Add the remaining olive oil (what wasn't used to sauté the carrots) to the sauce and cook UNCOVERED for an additional 15 minutes. Taste and correct for salt. Note: This sauce is well suited for most kinds of pasta, and can be used on top of Italian style meatloaf with great results. If frozen, defrost and simmer lightly, UNCOVERED, for just 10 minutes.

TUSCAN BEANS IN SUMMERY TOMATO RAGù

Steps:

• Soak beans in water to cover by 2 inches overnight (8 hours) or quick-soak (see cooks' note, below), then drain.
• Cover beans with water by 2 inches in a 5-to 6-quart pot. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and briskly simmer, uncovered, stirring occasionally and skimming foam, until beans are very tender, 40 to 50 minutes. Reserve 2 cups cooking water, then drain beans.
• Halve 1 cup tomatoes lengthwise and set aside. Pulse remaining tomatoes in a food processor until almost smooth.
• Preheat oven to 450°F with rack in middle.
• Cook onion, celery, and garlic in oil and 1 tablespoon butter with 1/4 teaspoon each of salt and pepper in a 12-inch heavy skillet, stirring occasionally, until softened, about 5 minutes. Add tomato purée, thyme, sugar, 3/4 teaspoon salt, and reserved 2 cups bean-cooking water and simmer, stirring occasionally, until liquid is slightly thickened, about 10 minutes. Whisk in remaining tablespoon butter, then stir in beans.
• Transfer to a 3-quart shallow baking dish. Sprinkle evenly with cheese, then scatter tomato halves over top. Bake, covered tightly with foil, until liquid is reduced and beans are saucy but not soupy, 25 to 30 minutes. Let stand, covered, 10 minutes before serving (beans will continue to absorb liquid).
• What to drink:
• Avignonesi Rosso di Toscana '05

TUSCAN TOMATO SOUP

Steps:

• Heat oil in a medium large soup pot.
• Add onions and cook over medium-low heat until completely translucent.
• Add tomatoes and bring to a simmer.
• Add chicken stock. Bring to a simmer and allow to simmer for 15 minutes.
• Add whipping cream. Add pesto.
• Blend to desired consistency with hand blender, food processor or blender.
• Adjust seasoning with salt and pepper.

TOMATO SAUCE, TUSCAN STYLE

Steps:

• 1 Pour the oil into a medium saucepan. Add the onion, carrot, celery, and garlic. Cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables are tender and golden, about 15 minutes. 2 Stir in the tomatoes, broth, red pepper, and salt to taste. Bring to a simmer. Partially cover the pan and cook over low heat, stirring occasionally, until thickened, about 30 minutes. 3 Stir in the basil. Serve hot. Can be made ahead and stored in a tightly sealed container in the refrigerator up to 5 days or in the freezer up to 2 months. From "1,000 Italian Recipes." Copyright 2004 by Michele Scicolone. Used with permission of the publisher, Wiley Publishing, Inc. All Rights Reserved.

TUSCAN WHITE BEANS IN TOMATO SAUCE

Steps:

• Place beans in a large pot. Cover with water and stir in baking soda. Soak for 8 to 12 hours.
• Rinse beans and return to the pot. Cover with water and bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Reduce heat and simmer until beans are tender yet firm to the bite, about 25 minutes. Drain beans, reserving the water, and set aside.
• Heat the same pot over medium heat and add olive oil. Saute garlic and sage in the hot oil until fragrant, about 2 minutes. Add drained beans. Stir and let the beans absorb the aroma of the garlic and sage. Add tomato sauce. Gently stir and simmer until the beans are soft but not mushy, 10 to 15 minutes. Use reserved cooking water to keep the sauce from burning, but the sauce should be thick. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Serve warm.