Tomato Caper Pasta Sauce

Serves 3 to 4 1 14 oz can petite diced tomatoes (3 to 4 tomatoes diced) 2 T tomato paste* 2 T capers 1/2 onion diced 1 to 2 T olive oil 3 or more cloves of garlic minced or pressed (3/4 t. garlic powder) 20 cranks of the pepper mill 1 1/2 t (1/2 T) basil 1/4 t oregaono 3/4 t sugar salt to taste (3/4 t)

Serves 6 to 8 2 cans petite diced tomatoes† (6 to 8 tomatoes diced) 1/4 c. (4 T) tomato paste 1/4 c. capers 1 onion diced 2 T to 1/4 c. olivie oil 6 cloves of garlic minced or pressed (1 1/2 t. garlic powder) 40 cranks of the pepper mill 1 T basil 1/2 t oregaono 1 1/2 t. (1/2 T) sugar salt to taste 1 1/2 t. (1/2 T)

1. Rinse the capers. 2. Sauté onions in oil. 3. Add the garlic, tomato paste, capers, and diced tomatoes after the onions become soft and translucent. 4. Add spices. 5. Cook until smooth. 7. Heat on medium low for at least ten minutes, stirring occasionally.

*We buy a can of tomato paste when we need it. Then we freeze tomato paste in tablespoon sized lumps on a plate. After they're frozen we put them in a plastic bag and keep them in the freezer until we need more.

†After drafting this post I discovered 28 ounce cans of diced tomatoes, you can use one of those in stead of two of the little cans.

The Ingredients, not including the Tomato Paste
The Capers are Soaking

The Tomato Paste
When we buy a can of tomato paste we generally only need to use one
tablespoon. There is more than one tablespoon of tomato paste in each can.
So we freeze table spoon sized lumps of tomato paste on a greased
plate then put them in a plastic bag once they're frozen. 

Step 2. Onions Sautéing

Step 3. Adding Garlic

Step 3. I added the tomato paste first to try to get it
to melt a bit before adding the other ingredients.

Step 3. The Capers Join the Pan

Step 4, 5 and 6!

I am so proud of myself because I made this recipe up. I bought a jar of capers on a whim and we had some tomatoes that needed to be used up. So I diced the tomatoes and added some onion and the capers and we had this wonderful pasta sauce. I really like the caper flavor it is unique and memorable. If I had a motor and pestle (or some other grinding or pounding tool) I would try mashing the capers before adding them in to the sauce.

Have you ever made a meal without a recipe before? How do you like the step by step photos?