This is not the tomato sauce of your great uncle from Naples it’s a recipe for French tomato sauce which is decidedly different from the pizza parlor/Italian restaurant variety served in the US. As a foundation it has no herbs and it’s made with a white stock. The old school formula calls for a couple ounces of bacon trimming which, although hardly necessary, sure provides a nice flavor profile to this French foundation sauce.
9 ounces of carrot, celery and onion mirepoix, equally proportions
A small bouquet garni of bay and thyme
1 quart of tomato puree or diced fresh tomato
2 ounces of flour
3 quarts of white stock
a pinch of sugar, salt and white pepper
- Saute the mirepoix, with the bacon if you’re using it.
- Add the tomato puree or fresh tomatoes saute further.
- Dust the pan with the flour, aka singer, and mix well
- Add the white stock, simmer for 1 hour or more.
- Simmer the stock (do not boil, do not stir) for about an hour then strain out the solids being sure not to press them in the process.
- Add additional stock if necessary, then strain and adjust seasonings with sugar, salt and white pepper.
