Name: Grilled Tomato Sauce
Yield: Makes about 3 1/2 cups
Ingredients: 3 pounds vine-ripened tomatoes; 1 large red bell pepper; 4 tablespoons olive oil; 2 teaspoons coarse sea salt, preferably gray salt; 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper; 1 cup minced onion; 1 tablespoon minced garlic; 1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh oregano; 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar; 2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley

Editor's note: Serve this sauce with Michael Chiarello's Grilled Pasta with Grilled Meatballs .

Grilling the tomatoes and roasting the red pepper gives this sauce an underlying flavor that I really like. I tend to double this recipe and freeze what I don't need. I'm always glad to have this sauce on hand.

It's best to grill tomatoes over charcoal or a wood fire that's about 30 minutes past its hottest point. I like to use a plancha but you can use a cast-iron pan or grill the tomatoes directly on the grill rack.

Recipe notes

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Smothered Italian Sausage

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