Perfect Creamy Tomato Sauce

Ingredients:

• Olive Oil
• Garlic
• 1 or 2 Hot-House tomatoes
• One 6 oz can tomato paste (preferably organic for that sweet elusive smug flavor)
• Sugar
• Spices (preferably thyme, rosemary, cardamom and fresh basil)
• Vegetable stock (or bullion vegetable base)
• Half & Half (or, substitute half as much Heavy Whipping Cream and increase amount of vegetable stock for a runnier sauce)

Instructions:

1. Crush and mince 3-4 cloves of garlic. Saute in 2 – 4 tbps olive oil.
2. Add butter, 2-4 tbps.
3. Slice 1-2 large hot-house tomatoes. Add just as garlic starts to brown.
4. Add one 6 oz can of tomato paste.
5. Add 1-2 tbps sugar, some rosemary, hearty pinch of thyme, cardamom, 4 – 6 tbps fresh chopped basil
6. Salt and pepper (generous)
7. Add ~ 1 cup vegetable stock, increase to medium-high heat
8. Add ~ 1 cup half-and-half
9. Simmer until sauce thickens. Serve hot.

Serves 5.

Serve over ravioli, gnocchi or penne. Garnish with fresh shaved parmesan and a sprig of parsley.

Pair with a medium-bodied, fruity wine. Try a lemberger, primitivo or red zin.