Perfect Tomato Sauce

Preparation time: 1 hour

Serves 12

4 Cans Chopped Tomatoes (alternatively, 4kg peeled and chopped very ripe saucing tomatoes, such as roma, oxheart, or santorini)
700g Bottle of Passata (you can skip this if using fresh tomatoes)
1/4 Cup Olive Oil
1 Tablespoon Tomato Paste
2 Teaspoons Salt
1 Teaspoon Black Pepper
6 Garlic Cloves
6 Sprigs of Rosemary
5 Bay Leaves
1.5 Tablespoons Wine Vinegar
1 Tablespoon Sugar
Chilli Flakes (to taste)
Bunch of Fresh Basil Leaves

Chop or press garlic cloves and chop rosemary super finely.
Place cast iron pot on low-medium heat and pour 1/4 cup of olive oil in.
Once hot, add rosemary and garlic and gently fry for 3-5min, stirring regularly to prevent garlic from sticking to the pan.
Add chilli flakes, freshly ground black pepper, and bay leaves.
Tip in one can of tomatoes, stirring vigorously to deglaze the pan.
Add the rest of the tomato cans, passata and tomato paste, sugar, vinegar, and salt.
To get all the tomato residue from the cans and bottle, fill with water and pour one cup's worth of tomato water into the pot.
Stir well, cover, and let simmer on medium heat for 1 hour, giving it a stir every 15min.
Check after one hour; the sauce should have reduced substantially. If there is still water on the surface, open the lid slightly and cook for a further 30 minutes, or until the sauce is thick.
Season with additional salt, pepper, vinegar, and sugar to taste.