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I always put tomatoes through a food mill (smallest holes) to remove skins and seeds, which contribute the the bitter flavor people comment about. Nearly everyone I know puts sugar in their tomato sauce, even people "off the boat". Whenever I hear this, I know they aren't straining the tomatoes. It's a lot of work and makes a big mess, but I wouldn't make tomato sauce without doing it.

Ravara: Wut wut wut?!!! Of COURSE I have it! I've turned too many people on to Super Marzano not to have it Yes, yes, it's not technically San Marzano, it's better.....it's SUPER Marzano! Come on out to my tomato seedling sale and pick some up. I've always got a lot of Super Marzanos for peeps. www.GrowBetterVeggies.com

Does this constitute spam? Forgive me if so. Just trying to spread the tomato love....

This is the way I have always made my bacis tomato gravy (though not always with the carrot, though I can see using it for the sweetness it adds. This is a good basic tomato sauce. A good place to start off.

I have been using this recipe since 1997 when it was published (exactly as written here) in the New York Post with the title "Mario's Secret Sauce Recipe." My note says "From Chef Mario Batali, Po's Restaurant." How far he has come since then!

I Google'd the cached page to see the picture that was removed and I've seen that brand at a local Italian market. In my opinion, the problem with those and most other canned tomatoes is the addition of citric acid. If you cook those down, the acid becomes more and more pronounced, making the sauce bitter. I have written it many times before on sites like this - the best tomatoes are the ones that have NO CITRIC ACID! Make a sauce with the precious San Marzanos like the ones pictured and a the same sauce with a can of regular tomatoes with no citric acid and see the difference. Now, if you can get San Marzanos with no citric acid (like you used to), it's Heaven.

Ive made the same sauce all my adult life with the addition of fresh basil, unfortunately, in the wilds of Alabama, I cant find san marzano tomatoes. So i usually end up using a good brand organic, it seems to work out fine. also, instead or plain old kosher salt I really like gray salt, I know its probablty mind over matter, but I can taste the diff.

Hi Mario… I’m sorry to hear the reason you visited the Pacific Northwest.
It’s exciting to hear about your experience at the Steelhead Diner and the “killer” Abacela Albariño. They’ve pioneered the varietal in the Northwest and I suspect have found it hard to get the varietal noticed. It’s great to get feedback from someone with your palate that enjoyed it in a setting that almost begs for this type of wine. Kudos! Paula
PS. Their website shows 2006 still available.