roasted tomato sauce

End of the summer = some ugly produce. The fix? This sauce.

It’s a great way to use up your ugly tomatoes and bell peppers. Or maybe your store bought tomatoes are going a little south – this sauce won’t tell the difference! Just cut out the yucky parts and roast!

And it’s versatile. Add more peppers, add mushrooms, take out some heat – whatever! This is your sauce…do what you want.

Plus, it works great for any dish. Try it in lasagna, braised fish, add Italian sausage or just serve over some fresh pasta!

Roasted Tomato Sauce

Makes about 4 cups.

6-8 tomatoes

1 onion, quartered

2 carrots, peeled and chopped into large pieces

1 bell pepper, any color, cleaned and chopped into large pieces

1 head of garlic, cut in half

Salt and pepper

Olive oil

Wash and cut all the tomatoes into quarters.

Spread out on greased baking sheet and drizzle with olive oil. Season with salt and pepper. Roast at 350˚ for about 2 hours.

Add onion, carrots, and bell pepper to baking sheet and re-salt and pepper. Roast for an additional hour.

Add garlic and red pepper flakes and roast at 425˚ for about 30 minutes or until garlic is browned.

Remove pan from oven and cool. Remove garlic from head by squeezing from the bottom – they should come right out.

Add everything to a food processor and puree until smooth. If you need to, add water until you get the desired consistency.

Use immediately, refrigerate for up to one week or freeze for up to 3 months.