Grandma's Tomato Sauce

By charlotteh371

Sauce can be chilled up to 5 days or frozen 6 months.

Ingredients

• 1 tablespoon salt
• 1 tablespoon sugar (optional)
• 10 lb plum tomatoes, halved lengthwise, cored, and coarsely chopped (24 cups)
• 6 garlic cloves, peeled and lightly smashed
• 1 cup extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 cup loosely packed fresh basil leaves

Preparation

Step 1

Toss salt and sugar with tomatoes in 2 large bowls, then let stand until very juicy, about 15 minutes.
Cook garlic in oil in a wide 8- to 10-quart heavy pot over moderate heat, stirring occasionally, until golden, 3 to 5 minutes, then discard garlic. Carefully add tomato mixture (it may splatter) and basil, stirring to combine. Bring to a boil, covered, stirring occasionally, then reduce heat and simmer, uncovered, stirring more frequently toward end of cooking, until sauce is thickened and reduced by half, 2 to 3 hours.
Force sauce through food mill into a large bowl, discarding solids. Ladle sauce into 1-pint airtight containers and cool completely, uncovered, then freeze, covered.