Salsa Di Pomodoro Alla Siciliana (Tomato Sauce Sicilian Style)

In a large pot, heat the olive oil and then brown the pork lightly. Remove pork and set aside.

Add the chopped onion and minced garlic to the hot olive oil. Cook until translucent, but not browned.

Add the tomato paste and bay leaves and fry the paste, stirring constantly. Mix the onion and garlic into the paste as you stir. The paste will burn quickly so keep stirring and maintain the heat fairly low, just to keep the paste simmering.

Once the onion and garlic is mixed into the paste and it is fried (about 6-7 minutes), add the Italian plum tomatoes, through a course sieve. Keep rubbing the tomatoes through the sieve until all the pulp is gone into the pot and you are left with a dry seed mass in the sieve (discard the seed mass).

Add one can of water for each can of paste (use the paste can as a measuring tool). Then add all of the remaining ingredients and return the pork back into the sauce.

Lower the heat until the pot is barely simmering. Simmer for 2-3 hours, stirring frequently. Stir from the bottom up and frequently.

If the sauce gets too thick, add some water. If it is not thickening enough, remove the lid and turn up the heat slightly. Stir from the bottom to avoid scorching the sauce.

When done, there will be no raw tomato taste and no evidence of the onion nor garlic; just a smooth red sauce. Remove the pork and save it for future use.

Use the tomato sauce on any dish calling for tomato sauce.