Sous Vide Tomato Sauce

Serves 6

Tomato Sauce tends to taste the best when making it large batches.  This process usually takes time for the tomatoes to break down and constant attention to make sure the sauce does not burn.  By using the Sous Vide method, small batches of sauce can be made as needed.  There is no reason to use processed jars of sugary sauce from grocery stores.  Using the Sous Vide method also lessens the mess that can be created when making large batches of sauce.  The most important thing with this recipe is you end up with a delicious fresh sauce.

Ingredients
2 tbsp olive oil
½ tsp dried chili flakes
½ cup shallot, chopped
½ cup onion, chopped
3 cloves garlic, minced
3 sprigs fresh oregano
3 sprigs fresh thyme
6 large fresh basil leaves, chopped
2 28oz cans of San Marzano tomatoes
Salt and pepper to taste

Directions

1. Preheat the water bath to 181°F.
2. On medium heat in a large saute pan add the oil and bring to a simmer.  Add the onion, shallot, garlic and chili flakes until it becomes translucent and fragrant, about 5 to 7 minutes.  Remove from heat.
3. Squeeze the tomatoes removing extra moisture and discard stems.  Add the squeezed tomatoes to the saute pan with the vegetable mixture.  Add the tomato juice from the cans, oregano, thyme and half the basil to the pan and mix all together.
4. Pour the mixture into a bag and vacuum seal it or use the water displacement method.
5. Cook for 1 to 2 hours.  When complete remove from the water and empty the bag contents into a large mixing bowl.
6. Remove the stems of the oregano and thyme and discard.
7. Using an immersion blender, blend the sauce to your desired texture.  Add the remaining oregano to the sauce and salt and pepper to taste. 
8. Serve with your favorite al dente noodles.​