Recipe: Aromatic Tomato Sauce (using butter, carrot, onion and celery)

AROMATIC TOMATO SAUCE

"This elegant, fragrant sauce is suitable for fresh, dried, or stuffed pasta. If you do not have a food mill, the sauce can be pureed in a food processor, although the result will be less refined."

4 tablespoons butter, divided use
1 small white onion or red onion, minced
1 medium carrot, peeled, minced
1 medium stalk celery, minced
3 tablespoons tomato paste
1 (28 oz) can tomatoes, juice reserved, tomatoes seeded then crushed
salt and ground black pepper (to taste)

Heat 3 tablespoons butter in a large saucepan. Add onion, carrot, and celery; saute gently until softened, but not browned, about 10 minutes.

Stir in tomato paste, then tomatoes and juice and wine. Simmer, partially covered, and stir frequently, until thickened to sauce consistency, about 45 minutes.

Puree by passing through a food mill. Return to simmer-, season to taste with salt and pepper, before serving, stir in remaining butter.

Makes 2 1/2 cups
Source: Julia Della Croce, Cook's Illustrated magazine, March/April 1994