Cook and Drink

There must be a million ways to make a tomato sauce. We think the below recipe works really well, provided you have a bit of time.
If you’re in a hurry, replace the tomatoes with canned tomatoes or leave the skin on the fresh tomatoes. Don’t be tempted to leave the pits in the sauce.
Replacing the anchovy fillet with a pinch of salt is okay(ish).
The red bell pepper and the chilli are essential because they add depth and sharpness to the sauce. The black olives add bitterness and maybe even some umami. Leaving it a night in the refrigerator will turn it into an integrated sauce, meaning more complexity and a more velvet palate.
The red wine helps deepening the color and will add a touch of acidity as well.

Here is what you need:

• 4 Excellent Ripe Tomatoes
• 1 Red Bell Pepper
• ½ Chilli
• 1 Onion
• Olive oil
• 1 Garlic Clove
• ½ Glass Red Wine
• 1 Anchovy Fillet
• Few Black Olives
• Bouquet Garni (Parsley, Thyme, Rosemary, Bay Leaf)

Prepare the tomatoes by peeling them, removing all the pits and slicing the remaining meat. What’s left over goes into a sieve and with a spoon you squeeze out the juices. You will be amazed how much juice you will get (and how little is left from the tomatoes). Peel the onion and cut in smaller bits. Add olive oil to the pan and glaze the onion for 10 minutes or so. Add the chopped garlic clove. Stir a bit and then add the sliced bell pepper and the sliced chilli. Let cook on a medium heat for 5 minutes or so. Add the halved olives, the sliced anchovy fillet and the sliced tomatoes. Cook for 5 minutes, add the tomato juice, the red wine and the bouquet garni. Leave for 2 hours to simmer. Reduce is so required.
Remove the bouquet garni, blender the sauce and transfer to the refrigerator.