Ingredients
- cheesecloth bag
- 1 clove garlic, minced
- 1/2 cup onion, finely chopped
- 2 Tbsp. olive oil
- 1/4 cup celery tops, finely chopped
- 1/2 cup green pepper, finely chopped
- 2 cups ripe tomatoes, finely diced
- 1/2 tsp. sugar
- 1 1/2 tsp. salt
- 1/2 cup water
- 1 small bay leaf
- 2 whole cloves
- 2 Tbsp. tomato paste
- 4 whole black peppercorns
Directions
Saute' garlic and onion in oil; add celery, green pepper, tomatoes, sugar, salt and water. Tie bay leaf, peppercorns and cloves in cheesecloth bag; then add. Cook slowly, uncovered, 20 minutes. Remove spice bag. Press mixture through a coarse sieve and stir in tomato paste and heat. Note: Instead of a sieve, you can also use a blender to give the sauce a very smooth consistency. Also, if you use a blender, the bay leaf, peppercorns and cloves may be left in for a spicier sauce.
By Robin from Washington, IA