Homemade Tomato Sugo is a great Italian staple to have in the fridge at all times. You can stir it through just cooked pasta for a very quick & simple dinner with some herbs & freshly grated parmesan. Also use it as the sauce base for your pizzas, or braise lamb, chicken, pork or fish for a true taste of Italy!

• 1kg ripe, Roma tomatoes
• 2 cloves garlic, peeled
• 1 tbs olive oil
• 1 bay leaf
• a handful of fresh oregano or basil
• salt and pepper

METHOD

1. Roughly dice the tomatoes.
2. Heat the olive oil in a saucepan and add the garlic cloves. Fry until lightly browned.
3. Add the tomatoes, bay leaf and herbs and simmer for about 1 hour, or until the tomatoes have roughly halved in volume.
4. Press the sauce through a sieve to remove the skins and seeds, season with salt and pepper, and pour into a sterilized glass jar. Cool to room temperature, seal with a lid and store in the refrigerator. 

Note: 1kg of tomatoes will make about 500ml of sauce.