Homemade Pizza Sauce

Makes 3 cups/750 ml

Ingredients:

1 tablespoon/15 ml olive oil
1 small onion, finely diced
2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
1 tablespoon/about 2 g chopped fresh oregano
2 sprigs fresh thyme
1 bay leaf
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
5 extra ripe plum tomatoes, chopped
One 14.5-ounce/411-ml can whole peeled tomatoes
1 teaspoon/2.5 g sugar

Method:

Heat the oil in a heavy medium saucepan over medium-high heat. Add the onion and sauté for 8 minutes or just until soft.  Add the garlic, oregano, thyme, and bay leaf. Add a large pinch of salt and continue to cook for 3 minutes or until the onions are translucent but do not brown.

Stir in the fresh and canned tomatoes, and the sugar. Press down on the canned tomatoes with the back of the spoon to mash them slightly.  Season with salt and pepper.

Cook over medium-low heat so that the sauce simmers gently, stirring occasionally, for about 30 minutes or until the tomatoes are very tender.  Remove the saucepan from the heat and allow the sauce to cool slightly. Discard the stems of thyme and the bay leaf.

Using a blender and working in batches, blend the sauce just until it is smooth. Let the sauce cool.  Season the sauce to taste with salt and pepper.