Comments: The sauce can be smooth or chunky. Use the chunky version with rigatoni or with orecchiette.

1 1/2	pounds	fresh plum tomatoes -- washed, cored, and left whole
1	6-oz each	leek white part only -- cut lengthwise; washed well and cut into quarters
1 1/2	teaspoons	fine sea salt
2	teaspoons	dried oregano
1	tablespoon	balsamic vinegar
1	tablespoon	sugar

• Preheat the oven to 350F
• Place the whole tomatoes and the leek (cut side down) on a nonstick baking sheet. Roast the vegetables until the tomatoes are soft to the touch and the leek has begun to brown, 30 to 35 minutes. Transfer the vegetables to a food processor and process until a thick, chunky sauce is obtained.
• To make a smooth sauce, transfer the pureed vegetables to a fine mesh colander placed over a bowl. Press on the ingredients with a wooden spoon to squeeze the sauce through the colander. Discard the solids.
• Transfer the sauce to a large nonreactive bowl and stir in the salt, oregano, vinegar, and sugar. The sauce is ready to use, or freeze for future use.

  Yield: "2 1/4 cups"