Fresh Tomato Sauce With Fennel and Orange

A lovely recipe to use your garden fresh tomatoes with! Adapted from Cook's Illustrated.

• Ready In: 45 mins
• Serves: 4

Ingredients

• 4  tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
• 1  medium fennel bulb, trimmed, halved, cored and cut into 1/4-inch pieces
• 2  garlic cloves, minced
• 1⁄2 teaspoon fennel seed, lightly crushed
• 1  pinch saffron, crushed (optional)
• 1⁄8 teaspoon red pepper flakes
• 2  slices  orange peel (3-inch x1-inch)
• 3  tablespoons  orange juice
• 3  lbs  ripe round tomatoes, cored, peeled, seeded, and cut into 1/2-inch pieces (about 3 1/4 cups)
• 3  tablespoons fresh basil leaves, chopped
• 1⁄4 teaspoon salt
• 1⁄8 teaspoon black pepper
•  sugar

Directions

1. Heat 2 tbls. olive oil in a 10" skillet over medium high heat till shimmering.
2. Add fennel and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened and browned around the edges, 4-6 minutes.
3. Add garlic, fennel seed, saffron(if using), pepper flakes, and orange peel; cook, stirring constantly, until fragrant, about 30 seconds.
4. Now stir in the tomatoes and cook till tomato pieces lose their shape to form a chunky sauce, about 10 minutes.
5. Remove and discard orange peel. Stir in the orange juice, basil, salt, pepper, and sugar to taste.
6. Toss the sauce and the remaining 2 tbls. olive oil with your favorite pasta and serve! Enjoy!