fresh tomato sauce

while my taste buds have loved most of the indian food i have tried, my stomach has not agreed, so i've been trying to cook a little more at home. one of the challenges being that i don't have all the equipment i have at home here (like an oven...), or a wide variety of ingredients (like canned goods, most sauces, cheese...).

SO i was really excited to find this recipe yesterday and try it out on the team for dinner last night. the verdict: super easy and really tasty.

time: 20 minutes

ingredients:
2 lbs / 1 kg tomatoes (the redder the better)
2 cloves chopped garlic
1/4 cup olive oil
salt & pepper to taste
1 T balsamic vinegar (i used a bit more)
1 small onion, diced (i used red because that's all i can find here)
optional: parsley, basil, rosemary (i used all three, dried)
any kind of pasta

1) make an X mark at the bottom of each tomato while bringing water to a boil
2) plunge them in hot water for a minute or two, until you can see the skin of the tomatoes loosening
3) remove from hot water & rinse in cold water
4) use the hot water to make pasta according to instructions
5) peel skin from tomatoes using fingers and knife when necessary, and remove the green core
6) squeeze tomatoes with your hand in the sink to release some juice & seeds (this is key to getting the sauce thick enough!)
7) in bowl, crush tomatoes by hand to make small chunks
8) in large pan, add olive oil, garlic, and onion and cook until onions are transparent. add tomatoes and a dash of salt.
9) cook for 2-3 minutes, until the tomato pulp breaks down and releases juice
10) pick up pulp with a slotted spoon (or colander...getting creative here in india) and move to a bowl, leaving juice in pan to cook.
11) cook juices for a few minutes until it becomes a little thicker. add balsamic and any seasonings, tasting til it's good.
12) add the tomato pulp back in and stir, cooking for another minute or two. turn heat off and check seasoning again.
13) mix sauce with your pasta and devour.

*also--garlic toast is a must with this! but i'm a carb kind of gal.