Ingredients
Equipment
Method
- Put the measured cooking fat, minced garlic and Italian herb blend into the pan before turning on the burner.
- Set the burner to medium and stir as the fat melts and the garlic and herbs warm together.
- Listen for the garlic to start sizzling, about one minute. It should still be pale, so move straight to the next step.
- Pour in the plain passata and add the listed amount of mineral salt. Stir to bring the garlic, herbs and cooking fat through the tomatoes.
- Heat the sauce until small bubbles rise gently through it, stirring as it warms. Once it reaches that low simmer, it is ready; there is no extra long reduction to add.
- Add extra mineral salt only if you want it after tasting the cooked sauce. The measured salt has already gone in, and the passata may contain some salt too.
- Remove the saucepan from the burner. Serve the sauce, adding an optional unmeasured drizzle of cold-pressed olive oil to the portion you are eating now.
Notes
Tomato ingredient: Use a 24-ounce glass jar of plain strained tomatoes (passata), a pourable tomato purée with skins and seeds removed. The complete ingredients should be tomatoes, with salt as the only optional addition. Do not substitute a larger can of chunky crushed tomatoes, concentrated paste or an unmeasured quantity of fresh tomatoes.
Cooking fat: Use the full listed measure of one cooking fat, not that amount of each. The ingredient link is for homemade ghee: measure the finished strained fat. Ghee is dairy-derived and needs to be introduced and tolerated. Rendered animal fat or natural non-hydrogenated coconut oil are the other cooking choices. Keep cold-pressed olive oil as an optional unmeasured finish on the portion you serve after the pan leaves the heat.
Garlic and simmer: Start with the fat, minced garlic and herbs in a cold saucepan. Turn the burner to medium and watch for the first sizzle, about one minute. Add the tomatoes before the garlic browns, stir in the listed salt and bring to a low simmer. Small gentle bubbles are enough. Once the sauce reaches that low simmer it is ready; there is no extra long reduction to add. Taste before adding extra salt.
Time and yield: The cooking estimate is ten minutes with the garlic already minced and ingredients measured. Allow extra time for mincing and measuring. The yield is about three cups, with variation from the tomato product and evaporation. At 2× all five measured amounts double and the approximate yield becomes six cups. Use a saucepan with room to stir and follow the same sizzle and low-simmer cues; a larger batch may take longer to warm through. The optional olive-oil drizzle remains unmeasured.
Full GAPS: Use after tomatoes, herbs and the chosen fat are introduced and tolerated. Tomatoes are nightshades; avoid them initially if sensitive, and introduce foods gradually one at a time when ready. Cooking does not establish an earlier stage or remove individual reactions. Keep cold-pressed olive oil for the finished serving. Choose the rendered-fat or coconut-oil option when avoiding dairy-derived ingredients rather than using ghee.
Storage: Refrigerate promptly in shallow covered containers at 40°F (4°C) or below, within two hours or one hour above 90°F (32°C). Use within three to four days. Freeze suitable sealed portions at 0°F (-18°C) or below for up to three months for quality; use freezer-safe containers and their required expansion space. Thaw in the refrigerator and reheat on the stove to 165°F (74°C), stirring evenly. Add optional olive oil after reheating only to the serving you will eat now.