Garden Update, Fresh Tomato Sauce recipe

Fermenting cucumbers, sprouting spelt grains, kefir, zucchini, tomatoes

September is here!   Beans and cucumbers are slowing down, as are the blackberries.  Sadly, most of my summer squash, including the spaghetti squash were struck once again by my nemesis, the squash borer.  My harvest has been sparse there.  On a happier note, even though they are really late, tomatoes escaped blossom end rot this year.  I dug a new bed last year and added a lot of compost.  When I planted my seedlings, I added a cup of ground eggshells mixed with coffee grinds to each one.   When things started to look a little dicey, I  treated  each plant to a gallon of water mixed with 2 Tablespoons of Epsom salts every week and things are looking good!  I only have 17 tomato plants so this was manageable.

My mornings begin in the garden. I harvest what is ready and decide what is to be done with it.  Yesterday I fermented 3 more quarts of cucumbers.  I have 2 zucchinis, which I want to use in sprouted bread. Yesterday, I set some spelt grains to sprout.   Today I ‘ll put them in the dehydrator and tomorrow I’ll grind them up and  they’ll be ready to use. Rose hips from the rugosas are dehydrating now.  They can come out and I’ll finish  making my rose hip tea.  The tomatoes have just started to come in.  So late this year!  I tried the Ace tomatoes and I’m really happy with them.  They produced nicely and they are meaty and delicious.  The plums are San Marzano.

I’ll make a quick tomato sauce with these tomatoes. Perfect over fresh pasta, with a some grated Parmesan and fresh basil. Tonight’s dinner! The rest will go in the freezer.

Finely chopped carrots, celery and onion

Fresh tomato sauce

Fresh Tomato Sauce

1. 1 small onion, finely chopped
2. celery stalk with leaves, finely chopped
3. carrot, finely chopped
4. 3 cloves garlic, minced
5. 3 Tbsp fresh herbs (oregano, parsley rosemary), finely chopped
6. 2 Tbsp olive oil
7. 2 1/2 pounds fresh tomatoes, coarsley  chopped

Heat olive oil in large skillet over medium heat.  Add  onion, carrot and celery.  Reduce heat to low and cover pot.  Cook  until very soft, about 15 minutes.    Mix in garlic and herbs.  Add tomatoes. Simmer uncovered for 20 minutes.  Add salt and pepper to taste.

Fresh Tomato Sauce with Homemade Semolina Pasta

I shared this post at The Homestead Barn Hop! , Real Food Wednesdays, Old Fashioned Friday and Green Thumb Thursdays