Saucy

I am third generation Italian-American. Oh, I look like a pale Irish Girl, but the need to turn Roma tomatoes into sauce overwhelmes me this time of year...



My family makes two variations of saucy goodness. The first is what I typically cook, a Marinara...with garlic, olive oil, oregano and fresh Roma tomatoes, cooked down until it's thick and chunky. I use the Romas that we grow in our garden, and then freeze the sauce to use all winter.

I almost sound like an Italian Martha Stewart there, no?

The other sauce uses the juice of the Roma. This is something I just started becoming involved with the past few years.



We juice the tomatoes, cook it down, can the juice, and then later use it to make a smooth tomato sauce. Juicing a tomato the old way was not fun. You hand crank a metal machine until your arm falls off, juice leaks everywhere, and it takes a looooong time.

My Mom and I recently each got an attachment for our Kitchenaid Mixers that, together, let you juice a tomato. We do the juicing in the garage at my Parents' house, just to keep the kitchen free for the cooking of the juice and canning.



The mixer method was so awesome. Cleaner and faster than I thought and so easy even Baby Girl could help!



We're stocked up for now...once I try my hand at turning this into a sauce my Grandma Carmella would have been proud of, I'll feel like a true paisan!



Mangia E Statti Zitto!