Best Basic Pasta Sauce
from Nita
Ingredients
- 3 cansorganic diced tomatoes
- 1 podgarlic, smashed and skinned
- 1/2 cupgood olive oil
- a big bunchfresh basil leaves
- to tastesalt
- 2 tbspsugar
- 1 can-worthwater (to rinse the tomato cans)
Instructions
- Pour 1/2 cup of olive oil into a big pot and let it simmer on low heat.
- Add the smashed, skinned garlic and let it cook — don't let it burn.
- Add the tomatoes; rinse the cans with water (about 1 can's worth total) and add that too.
- Add salt and 2 tbsp sugar, stir well and bring to a boil.
- Lower the heat, drop in a big bunch of fresh basil leaves, and close the lid.
- Let it cook slowly for about 1 and a half hours, until the tomatoes break down and the oil simmers on top.
- If it feels too dry along the way, add a little warm water and stir.
- Cool and store. Freezes well — keep some on hand for pizza, gnocchi, or as a base for meat sauce.
Variations: serve on parmas with parmesan on top. For vodka sauce — heat a little olive oil in a pan, add some of this sauce, chilli flakes (or chilli oil) and a splash of vodka; simmer on low, add prawns and cook through, then toss with pasta.