Mother`s Tomato Sauce

1/2 Onion; medium, sliced

1/2 c Olive oil

3 lb Tomatoes; ripe,coarsely cut

-up -OR- 1 cn -Tomatoes; 2lb 3 oz,peeled

-plum tomatoes 1 Carrot;small,peeled & cut up

2 Parsley, Italian;sprigs

1 Garlic clove

1 ts Basil,dried; -OR-

3 -Basil leaves;fresh

1 Celery stalk;with leaves,

-coarsely cut up Salsa di Pomodoro Della Mamma To quote the author, "Children don`t usually like to see pieces of tomatoes and ingredients floating in their sauce (we certainly didn`t!), so our Mother used to prepare tomato sauce the following way." Place the onion and half of the oil in a saucepan and cook until the onion is lightly browned. Add tomatoes, carrot, parsley, garlic, salt, basil and celery. Cook, covered, over moderate heat, stirring very occasionally, for 1/2 hour or until the vegetables are very soft. Strain through a food mill, taste for salt and adjust if necessary. (If sauce is too thin, place on heat again to thicken. ) Remove from heat, add the remaining oil and stir. NOTE: For a marinara or a more piquant sauce, just before adding the last oil, add 1/4 tsp crushed hot red pepper and 1 clove garlic passed through a garlic press or chopped very fine. YIELDS: 3 cups, SERVES 6-8