Garden Tomato Sauce

MAKES: 3 CUPS*

PRESSURE LEVEL: HIGH

RELEASE: QUICK

TOTAL TIME: ABOUT 1 HOUR

TIME UNDER PRESSURE: 30 MINUTES

*ENOUGH FOR 1 POUND OF PASTA

WHY THIS RECIPE WORKS For a pasta sauce that makes the most of the bright, fresh flavor and meaty texture of in-season tomatoes but minimizes the work, we started by cooking whole fresh tomatoes in the pressure cooker. We didn’t have to blanch and peel the tomatoes like you would in traditional recipes because we discovered after thirty minutes under pressure, we could slip the peels off the softened tomatoes with a pair of tongs. Putting the tomatoes into the pressure cooker cored side down made this a one-step process, while cooking them in red wine and water, plus garlic, tomato paste, and pepper flakes, kept our recipe simple. We used a potato masher to mash the cooked tomatoes to the right saucy but still slightly chunky consistency. To ensure the tomatoes were the star, we kept the seasoning simple. Chopped basil, stirred in just before serving, contributed additional freshness and color. Note that the success of this dish depends on using ultraripe, in-season tomatoes. See the step shot and Troubleshooting that follows the recipe.

INGREDIENTS

3

tablespoons olive oil

3

garlic cloves, minced

1

tablespoon tomato paste

 

Pinch red pepper flakes

½

cup dry red wine

½

cup water

 

Salt and pepper

3

pounds very ripe, in-season tomatoes, cored

2

tablespoons chopped fresh basil

1. BUILD FLAVOR: Cook oil, garlic, tomato paste, and pepper flakes in pressurecooker pot over medium heat until fragrant, about 1 minute. Stir in wine, water, and 1 teaspoon salt. Arrange tomatoes in pot, cored side down.

2. HIGH PRESSURE FOR 30 MINUTES: Lock pressure-cooker lid in place and bring to high pressure over medium-high heat. As soon as pot reaches high pressure, reduce heat to medium-low and cook for 30 minutes, adjusting heat as needed to maintain high pressure.

3. QUICK RELEASE PRESSURE: Remove pot from heat. Quick release pressure, then carefully remove lid, allowing steam to escape away from you.

4. BEFORE SERVING: Using tongs, remove and discard tomato skins. Mash tomatoes with potato masher until mostly smooth. Bring sauce to simmer over medium-high heat and cook until thickened, 15 to 20 minutes. Stir in basil and season with salt and pepper to taste. Serve.

VARIATIONS

Puttanesca

Increase red pepper flakes to 1 teaspoon. Add 8 rinsed and minced anchovy fillets to pot with oil in step 1. After simmering sauce in step 4, stir in ½ cup pitted and chopped kalamata olives and 3 tablespoons rinsed capers. Substitute ¼ cup minced fresh parsley for basil.

Tomato, Vodka, and Cream Sauce

Increase red pepper flakes to ¼ teaspoon. Stir in ¼ cup vodka after simmering sauce for 10 minutes in step 4. Before stirring in basil, stir in ⅓ cup heavy cream and simmer until sauce is thickened, about 2 minutes.

Arrabbiata

Increase red pepper flakes to ½–¾ tea-spoon and substitute ¼ cup minced fresh parsley for basil.