My tomato plants have done very well this year, maybe from the heat, maybe from extra care, who knows! So they are very prolific right now and I have more than I can eat raw. So time to make sauce! This is a simple riff on the lovely recipe from Smitten Kitchen.

Fresh Ripe Tomato Sauce

about 4 lbs ripe tomatoes

2 Tbs olive oil

two small onions

3 cloves garlic

2 ribs celery

1 small carrot

basil, cut very thinly

salt and pepper

Bring a pot of water to boil. Score the ends of the tomatoes in an X. Dunk in the boiling water and then slip off the skins. Chop roughly and put through a food mill. If you do not have a mill you can quarter the tomatoes, squeeze out the seeds and then chop into smaller pieces- you will get a chunkier sauce this way unless you puree it.

Heat olive oil in a heavy bottomed pan (I use a Le Cruset). Put onions, garlic, celery and carrot in food processor and chop until very fine (you can do this by hand too). Add to hot olive oil and saute a few minutes. Add a dash of salt and saute a bit more. Add pureed tomatoes and reduce to a simmer. Allow to simmer for 1-2 hours or until deep red and thicker. Add some pepper. Add basil right before serving.

I served ours with breaded eggplant cutlets, mozzarella and Parmesan cheese! Yum!