Roasted Tomato and Leek Sauce / Salsa di Pomodoro e Porro Arrostito

Name: Roasted Tomato and Leek Sauce / Salsa di Pomodoro e Porro Arrostito
Ingredients: 1 1/2 pounds fresh plum tomatoes, washed, cored, and left whole; 1 large leek (ounces), white part only, cut lengthwise, washed well, and cut into quarters; 1 1/2 teaspoons fine sea salt; 2 teaspoons dried oregano; 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar; 1 tablespoon sugar; INGREDIENTS

Makes 1 1/2 Cups smooth or 2 1/4 cups chunky

I often surprise myself by taking little detours with cooking techniques and traditions. Such is the case with this roasted no-fat tomato-and-leek sauce. The sauce can be smooth or chunky and dress fresh, filled, or plain pasta.

A favorite combination with the smooth version of this sauce is spaghetti with sugar snap peas and Sardinian feta cheese. Use the chunky version with rigatoni or with orecchiette.

Ingredients

1 1/2 pounds fresh plum tomatoes, washed, cored, and left whole
1 large leek (ounces), white part only, cut lengthwise, washed well, and cut into quarters
1 1/2 teaspoons fine sea salt
2 teaspoons dried oregano
1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
1 tablespoon sugar
INGREDIENTS

Directions

Preheat the oven to 350ºF.
Place the whole tomatoes and the leek (cut side down) on a nonstick baking sheet. Roast the vegetables until the tomatoes are soft to the touch and the leek has begun to brown, 30 to 35 minutes. Transfer the vegetables to a food processor and process until a thick, chunky sauce is obtained.
To make a smooth sauce, transfer the pureed vegetables to a fine mesh colander placed over a bowl. Press on the ingredients with a wooden spoon to squeeze the sauce through the colander. Discard the solids.
Transfer the sauce to a large nonreactive bowl and stir in the salt, oregano, vinegar, and sugar. The sauce is ready to use, or freeze for future use.