A go-to sauce
Many store-bought tomato sauces have heaps of added sugar to tame the natural acidity of tomatoes. Plus, they’re usually loaded with sodium. But if you can turn on an oven, you can make a healthy sauce from scratch. And one that tastes really good, too!
Step 1 STEM THE TOMATOES
Wash and dry the tomatoes. Hold tomato firmly and, using a small, sharp knife, remove stem by slicing and rotating the knife in a circular motion. You don’t have to cut very deep to remove it. Discard stems.
Step 2 SEED THE TOMATOES
Cut each tomato in half through the middle. Squeeze halves over a bowl. The seeds and excess juice will pop right out. Discard seeds and liquid.
Step 3 ROAST THE TOMATOES AND CAPSICUM
Preheat oven to 210°C (fanforced). Place tomatoes on a large baking tray lined with baking paper. Cut capsicum in half and remove seeds. Flatten each half and place on a separate tray lined with baking paper. Spray with cooking spray. Cook in preheated oven for 10-15 minutes or until the tomato skin splits. Remove tomatoes from the oven and continue to cook capsicum for a further 5-10 minutes or until charred. Wrap capsicum in foil and set aside for 20 minutes to loosen the skin. Then use tongs or your fingers to peel tomatoes and capsicum. For the best sauce texture, you must remove skins.
Step 4 COOK THE AROMATICS
Heat oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add onion and garlic and cook for 7-8 minutes or until onion softens. Add peeled tomatoes and capsicum, vinegar and pepper. Cover and bring to the boil. Reduce heat to medium and simmer, partially covered, for 20-30 minutes or until the tomatoes have broken down and are very soft.
Step 5 BLEND IT UP
Let the sauce cool slightly, then blend until smooth. Finely chop the fresh herbs and stir into the sauce. Voila! Ready to pour.
NUTRITION INFO
SAUCE
Serves 4
PER SERVE 604kJ, protein 6g, total fat 5.4g (sat. fat 0.7g), carbs
14g, fibre 7g, sodium 34mg • Carb
exchanges 1• GI estimate low WITH PASTA
Serves 4 Cook 350g dry Vetta Smart Pasta High Protein Low Carb Penne, divide evenly.
PER SERVE 1860kJ, protein 27g,
total fat 7.3g (sat. fat 1g), carbs 58g,
fibre 16g, sodium 65mg • Carb
exchanges 4• GI estimate low