>That’s the title of the cookbook I found in the grocery store bargain bin. How could I resist at book with a big photo of fresh tomatoes and the full title Tomato: a tantalizing tour of ravishing recipes?! It was only $2. I bought it. Then I gathered a bucket of tomatoes and made sauce. As usual, I did it with my own special touches.

Chunky Tomato Sauce
adapted from cookbook Tomato, mentioned above

1 tbsp oil
1 small onion
1 small green pepper
1/4 cup grated zucchini
1 garlic clove, finely chopped
6-8 tomatoes, peeled, seeded, and chopped
2 tbsp fresh basil leaves, coarsely shredded
salt and pepper to taste

Heat the oil in a large skillet. Add the onion, green pepper, and garlic and cook over low heat to 10 minutes until very soft. Add the tomatoes and cook for an additinoal 10-12 minutes until the mixture is pulpy. Add basil leaves, zucchini, and salt and pepper. Cook gently until all the ingredients are hot. Serve.

To prepare tomatoes:
Choose tomatoes that are soft to the touch for a sweeter taste and easier handling.
Place tomatoes in a large bowl. Cover with boiling water and let stand for 2-3 minutes, then lift out one at a time. Using a knife, pierce the skin and peel it off. Cut the tomato into quarters, then cut out the central core and seeds. Chop the remaining flesh and place in a large bowl.

The original recipe called for black olives and anchovies. I added zucchini because I had a little left over from a batch of zucchini bread. This recipe didn’t make as much as I thought it would, so I added it to a can of tomato sauce and served it over spaghetti. It was a winner with my family!