Fresh Tomato Sauce

Ingredients:

• cheesecloth bag
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 1/2 cup onion, finely chopped
• 2 Tbsp. olive oil
• 1/4 cup celery tops, finely chopped
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• 1/2 cup green pepper, finely chopped
• 2 cups ripe tomatoes, finely diced
• 1/2 tsp. sugar
• 1 1/2 tsp. salt
• 1/2 cup water
• 1 small bay leaf
• 2 whole cloves
• 2 Tbsp. tomato paste
• 4 whole black peppercorns

Directions:

Saute' garlic and onion in oil; add celery, green pepper, tomatoes, sugar, salt and water. Tie bay leaf, peppercorns and cloves in cheesecloth bag; then add. Cook slowly, uncovered, 20 minutes. Remove spice bag. Press mixture through a coarse sieve and stir in tomato paste and heat.

Note: Instead of a sieve, you can also use a blender to give the sauce a very smooth consistency. Also, if you use a blender, the bay leaf, peppercorns and cloves may be left in for a spicier sauce.