Tomato Sauce

Recipe No. 508 from the U.S. Army’s WWII cookbook — Sauces. Quantities are exactly as printed, for 100 servings; a scaled-down 8-serving version is in the notes.

Ingredients

• Onions, finely chopped — 1¾ pounds (1¾ No. 56 dippers)
• Garlic, chopped (optional) — 1 clove
• Fat (for frying) — 2 pounds (1 No. 56 dipper)
• Flour, sifted — 1 pound (1 No. 56 dipper)
• Cloves, ground — ⅓ ounce (1⅓ mess kit spoons)
• Cinnamon, ground — ½ ounce (2 mess kit spoons)
• Salt — 1¼ ounces (2½ mess kit spoons)
• Cayenne — as needed
• Water — 2 quarts (2 No. 56 dippers)
• Tomatoes — 2 No. 10 cans

Directions

Key ingredients

Cinnamon

1. Fry chopped onions and garlic about 5 minutes but not until brown.
2. Add flour, cloves, cinnamon, salt and cayenne; mix well.
3. Add water and tomatoes. Heat to boiling point; boil 5 minutes or until thick, stirring constantly. Reduce heat and simmer another 5 minutes, stirring frequently to prevent scorching.

Notes

SCALED TO 8 SERVINGS (the original is ÷12.5): Onions, finely chopped — 2¼ oz Garlic, chopped (optional) — scale to taste (1 clove) Fat (for frying) — 2½ oz Flour, sifted — 1¼ oz Cloves, ground — a pinch Cinnamon, ground — a pinch Salt — about ⅔ tsp Cayenne — to taste Water — 10¼ tbsp Tomatoes — 2 cups

Serve on spaghetti, meat balls or fish.

— TM 10-412, Army Recipes (War Department, 15 August 1944), recipe No. 508, Sauces. Army measures: 1 No. 56 dipper = 1 qt; 1 No. 55 dipper = 1¾ qt; 1 mess kit cup = 1½ pints.