1: Set up your grill for indirect grilling and heat to medium.

2: Arrange the tomatoes, bell pepper (if using), onion, garlic, and celery (if using), in a large aluminum foil drip pan. Drizzle with olive oil and season with salt and black pepper.

3: Place the vegetables in their pan on the grill away from the heat. If enhancing a charcoal fire, add the wood chunks or chips to the coals; if enhancing a gas grill, place the chunks or chips in your grill’s smoker box or place chunks under the grate directly over one or more burners. Close the grill lid. Smoke the veggies until the tomatoes are soft and smoky, 12 to 20 minutes. Note: You can also smoke the veggies low and slow in a smoker following the manufacturer’s instructions: You’ll need about 1 hour.

4: Remove the pan from the heat and let the vegetables cool, then transfer to a cutting board. Some people like to remove the tomato skins—I don’t bother. Finely chop the tomatoes and set them aside. Finely chop the pepper (if using), onion, garlic, and celery (if using).

5: Heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a large saucepan. Add the grilled pepper (if using), onion, garlic, and celery (if using), and cook over medium-high heat until golden brown, about 3 minutes, stirring often. Add the tomato paste and fry until fragrant, about 1 minute. Stir in the vermouth and boil until mostly evaporated, about 1 minute.

6: Stir in the chopped tomatoes with their juices and the basil and sage. Gently simmer the sauce until richly flavored, 5 to 10 minutes. Add the sugar if you’d like the sauce to be a little sweeter. Stir in the butter at the end. Correct the seasoning, adding salt and pepper to taste: The tomato sauce should be highly seasoned. If not serving right away, let cool to room temperature, then refrigerate in a sealed container for up to 3 days, or freeze.