Tomato sauce can be the base of many dishes, such is its versatility, but if it is not tasty and with the right consistency, it will affect the entire recipe. In order to never make a mistake with this preparation, the chef Karlos Arguiñano has told on his television program Cocina Abierta the key to preparing this sauce as our grandmothers did. “If you do it like that, it will never fail you, you’ll see,” says the Gipuzkoan.
To begin with, you must chop two cloves of garlic and an onion, and then put everything in a frying pan or wok with olive oil. A very finely cut green pepper is also added, a little salt and the ingredients are poached, without burning them. “Everything must be cooked well before adding the crushed tomato,” says Arguiñano.
When the vegetables are already poached, it is time to add the crushed tomato. “This is a delicacy from the gods, and nothing expensive,” the cook explains as he mixes this ingredient with the contents of the pan. After lowering the heat, because if not the sauce will start to splatter, he also adds a little sugar.
For those who are spicy lovers, this preparation is also delicious with a chilli, but it is not a mandatory component. “Everyone who puts what they want,” says the chef, who invites us to version the recipe with the spices or herbs we want, or that we have in the pantry.
The last step is to let the tomato sauce simmer slowly and slowly. When we see that it is cooked, we can add it to thousands of recipes, such as hake in sauce, pasta Bolognese, some meatballs, a Milanese, a vegetable empanada, a bonito a la Rioja…
Arguiñano invites you to prepare it whenever possible, since it is as useful as it is rich. “This is Mediterranean cuisine. My grandmother made this recipe and now my mother makes it. What I have told you is the base, but you can vary it as you like,” he concludes.
