Fresh Tomato Basil Summer Sauce

It's summertime, summertime, sum-sum-summertime...summerti-i-i-i-ime!  But not for long.  "Make sauce while the sun shines and the tomatoes are plentiful" is my September motto.  Each fall I capture the warmth of the sun and the scent of bright green basil wafting from the bright green patch next to the pond right in this barely cooked, garden-fresh and summery tomato sauce.  

We all enjoy the chunky sauce over a good pasta (gluten-free in my case) straight from the stove on the same day I first make it - it smells SO good. It's even better when I pull it from the freezer in the middle of winter.  It brings summer rushing right back with the very first bite.  Summer memories bring big smiles when there's snow blowing outside the windows!

Fresh Tomato Basil Summer Sauce

• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 6 onions, chopped fine in the food processor
• 4 cloves garlic, large, minced
• 6 pounds fresh tomatoes, peeled, seeded and chopped fine in the food processor
• 3/4 cup fresh basil, chopped
• 1 tablespoon sugar
• salt and pepper, to taste
• 1/2 tablespoon hot pepper flakes

Heat oil in a large saute pan (I like to use my large electric skillet - BIG to hold lots of sauce and a large surface to evaporate liquid quickly). Saute onion and garlic until soft.  Add tomatoes and rest of ingredients.  Bring to boil, reduce heat and simmer until liquid has evaporated.
 

Ladle over pasta and serve with freshly grated parmesan.

I make the sauce in a large quantity - sometimes several batches - and freeze it for the winter.  Quart bags that have a white area on the front to write what's inside and the date are just the thing to freeze the sauce in.  

NOTE:  If you haven't heard (read) me say this before, imported Italian BiAglut is by far the best gluten-free pasta on the market.  More expensive than most, but WORTH IT! I get it locally at Soergel's in Wexford, PA. 

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