Tomato Basil Pasta Sauce

Ingredients:

4 - 5 lb ripe plum tomatoes (approx 1 gallon)
2 - 3 Tbsp olive oil
2 Tbsp chopped fresh garlic (4 - 6 cloves)
1 - 2 Tbsp minced jalapeño pepper
pinch cayenne or chipotle pepper
1 tsp apple cider vinegar
1 Tbsp raw cane sugar
1 cup chopped fresh basil leaves
1 tsp fresh ground black pepper or to taste
1 tsp salt or to taste

Prepping The Tomatoes:

1. Blanche The Tomatoes:
2. Bring a large pot of water to a boil
3. Reduce heat to simmer and add half the tomatoes
4. Dip and turn the tomatoes for a minute with a slotted spoon, then remove and plunge in cold water
(adding a tray of ice cubes helps)
5. Drain the tomatoes in a colander, then cut out the cores and slip off the skins
6. Repeat with the rest of the tomatoes
7. Cut the tomatoes in half length wise, and scoop out the seeds with your thumb or a small spoon
8. Cut the tomatoes in strips, then slice in small pieces

Directions:

1. Heat the olive oil on low in a wide, deep saucepan for 10 minutes.

2. Peel, stem and mince the garlic.

3. Half the jalapeño lengthwise and remove the seeds. Slice thin lengthwise, then crosswise to make small
pieces.

4. Add the garlic and jalapeño to the oil, and lightly brown.

5. Add the chopped tomatoes, turn up heat and stir until they start to boil.

6. Reduce heat to med-low and cook, uncovered, stirring occasionally, until the mixture is reduced by about
half. This will take about an hour.

7. Briefly whiz about 2 cups of the tomatoes in a food processor or blender, and add them back to the
cooking pot.

8. While the tomatoes are cooking, prep the basil: Pull the basil leaves off the stems, add to a measuring cup
until you have 1 cups of basil.

9. Mince the basil leaves.

10. Stir the basil, sugar, vinegar, salt and pepper into the tomatoes, and simmer another 15 minutes or

11. Store the tomato sauce in a jar for immediate use, or freeze in small freezer bags or containers.