15 Minute Tomato Basil Sauce

I made a simple, easy sauce today that is as local and organic as you get.  Since my friend gave me a container of 20 small tomatoes a few days ago, I wanted to make something with them.  I also have some basil left in the garden that needs to get used before the first frost.  So we have 2 organic ingredients that are as local as the backyard.  If you do not grow these you can go to a farm stand, farmers market or grocery store.  And when I say 15 minutes, I mean it!

Ingredients:

2 cloves medium sized garlic cloves (I bought organic garlic at the store but it is available on LI)
1 Tablespoon olive oil (I do not grow and press my own olives, so this is store bought as well)
20 small tomatoes (about 2 inches in diameter) or an equivalent amount
7 basil leaves

Heat a saute pan on low heat and add the olive oil. Chop garlic and place into the pan.  While that is heating and slowly sauteing, chop the tomatoes into eights (cut in half, then half and then half again.)  Make sure not to burn the garlic.  The chopping should take you about 7 minutes.  Add the tomatoes and cook for 7 minutes.  While this is cooking cut up the basil leaves.  I did a chiffonade (pile the basil leaves on top of each other, roll them up and slice into small slivers.).  Use a potato masher to break up the tomatoes as they cook.  Stir to prevent burning and sticking.  After 7 minutes add basil and heat for 1 more minute.  Remove from heat and it is ready, all in 15 minutes!

Garlic added to oil in saute pan

All 20 tomatoes chopped

Tomatoes added to olive oil and garlic

 Cooked down after 7 minutes and basil added

All done and put into a pint sized container

This will taste great on angel hair with fresh mozzarella thrown in and a bit of Parmesan cheese on top.  The flavor is very rustic.  This is not a marina that cooks for hours.  It has fresh tomato flavor and the basil is bright and up front.  Simple, easy and cheap.  Since the tomatoes were a gift and the basil was from the garden, all it cost was a tablespoon of oil and 2 garlic cloves and those are things I always have in my pantry.