Passata Italiana

Ingredients for 2 servings:

• 2 onions
• 2 garlic cloves
• 2 bay leaves
• 2 sprigs of thyme
• 4 tbsp olive oil
• 1 ½ kg tomatoes, ripe
• 1 bunch of basil
• salt and pepper

Instructions

Working time approx. 40 minutes; Cooking/baking time approx. 30 minutes; Total time approx. 1 hour 10 minutes

for 2 glasses of 500 ml each

Peel the onions and garlic and roughly dice them. Sauté both in a saucepan with the bay leaves, thyme, and olive oil over medium heat for about 10 minutes until translucent. Meanwhile, wash the tomatoes, remove the stems, and roughly dice them. Once the onions are translucent, add the tomatoes to the pan and simmer uncovered for about 15 minutes. Add the basil stalks and simmer for another 5 minutes. Pass the entire contents of the pan through a fine sieve and return to the pan. Season with salt and pepper, bring back to a boil, and ladle the mixture into clean preserving jars while still hot. Close the jars tightly and let them cool upright with the lids on. When tightly sealed (in a clean, sterilized jar), the Passata Italiana will keep for about 6 months. Passata Italiana is a great sauce for pasta, pizza, or fish. Or simply enjoy it on bread.