It is challenging to find out where this delicate pasta sauce originated. The theory that it was first created in the 19th century in Bologna, Italy, is plausible. However, vegans do not have to do without Bolognese sauce. It can be cooked and roasted with ease with a pea base. Also, it is perfect for pasta or stuffed vegetables.
For a good Bolognese sauce, you should take some time. The dish is suitable for cooking in advance and will be kept in sealable containers in the fridge for a long time. It is best to start by boiling down tomatoes.
Tomato in midsummer
To take it straight from the start: Tomatoes are in high season. Thus, when buying tomatoes, ensure you can get these “apples of paradise” in your region. The best is the height of summer from domestic production. The plants usually grow under suitable conditions, and no pesticides are used. In general, you should pay attention to seasonal vegetables. Many tomatoes often come from cheap cultivation in industrial greenhouses. The aim is to harvest faster, irrespective of the tomato taste. Pesticides are also used.
The fruit was already used by the Aztecs and in advanced civilisations such as the Maya. Nevertheless, the exact origin is still being determined. However, the first traces can be found in the south of the USA, where the tomato was cultivated in 200 BC. Christopher Columbus brought a few plants to Europe on his second voyage to America in 1498. At that time, Spain, Italy and Portugal had ideal growing conditions.
Despite belonging to the nightshade family, the fruit vegetable is very healthy. The natural pigment lycopene is even considered a potent antioxidant against chronic diseases. An example would be cancer.
Even though tomatoes consist of 95 per cent water, they contain various nutrients. Tomatoes have vitamins A, C and K. Moreover, the nutrients in tomatoes are beneficial for the body. They could even prevent heart problems. Tomatoes are also worth mentioning when it comes to losing weight. A beef tomato (200 grams) contains 38 kilocalories, and a cherry tomato (20 grams) 4 kilocalories.
Fresh tomato sauce
- Wash, dry and chop 1 kg of cherry tomatoes on the branch and 1 kilogram of ox heart tomatoes well.
- Peel, wash and chop 3-6 spring onions.
- Wash and chop 2-3 peperoncini according to size.
- Spread the extra virgin olive oil on the bottom of the pan.
- To avoid splashing when sautéing the spring onions, two tablespoons of whisky can be added to the olive oil.
- Sauté the spring onions briefly and add the prepared tomatoes.
- Depending on the size, add 3-4 bay leaves
- Two tablespoons oregano
- Two tablespoons thyme
- Mix in as many dried chives and parsley as possible.
- One teaspoon of sea salt
- Add one teaspoon of raw sugar and mix well.
- Attention: it can and must be seasoned depending on the tomatoes and two hours of simmering. It is stirred repeatedly (it may still need a little water). Therefore, use only a little sea salt and raw sugar initially.
- Once the tomatoes have boiled briefly, simmer gently for up to four hours.
- The result should be a creamy tomato mixture.
This tomato sauce can also be used for pasta Napoli and other dishes without a pea garnish but with fresh basil.
In the meantime, prepare the chopped pea preparation. (Brow-beating is only known to be the product of V-LOVE. See our picture above, which is available in Switzerland at Migros).
- Pour 1.5 litres of water into the pan
- One tablespoon of coarse sea salt
- Add one tablespoon of chopped dried peperoncini and bring to a boil.
- Empty the whole bag of dried “Plant-Based” peas into the boiling water. Cook the pea preparation al dente for two minutes. Drain immediately in a colander and drain well. Return the boiling water to the pan and cook the primal spelt, pea or lentil pasta.
- Add three tablespoons of olive oil to the frying pan and fry the peas until golden brown. This usually takes a quarter of an hour as the liquid evaporates.
- Put well-drained pasta on the plate.
- Sprinkle 2-3 tablespoons of fried peas on top and pour fresh tomato sauce.
- Add another one tablespoon of roasted peas and fresh basil.
- Serve immediately.
