Tomato sauce is the keystone of southern Italian cuisine.
A simple tomato sauce is the foundation for a long list of classic Italian dishes. Cooks often have a signature sauce that emphasizes a particular herb or seasoning, but the best sauces have two things in common: quality and simplicity. Tomato sauce requires only a few ingredients, and it's worth investing in the best products available. It's also worth letting the flavors of those ingredients shine on their their own and resisting the temptation to spice up a sauce with competing spices and flavors.
Instructions
1. Place the tomatoes in the sauce pan with about 2 quarts of water and bring them to a boil. Cook them for about 5 minutes or until the skins are split. Remove the pan from the stove and drain the water. When the tomatoes have cooled, remove the skins and chop the pulp into small pieces. The tomatoes should be juicy and the job just a little messy. Place the chopped tomatoes in a bowl and set aside.
2. Heat the olive oil in the sauce pan over medium-high heat. Finely chop the garlic and onion and place the mixture in the warm oil. Saute until the onion is translucent. Do not let the garlic brown.
3. Add the chopped tomatoes to the garlic and onion and let the mixture boil. Reduce the heat and simmer for about 30 minutes. Add salt and freshly ground pepper to taste.
4. Add the chopped basil and simmer for about 5 minutes, stirring frequently. To increase the thickness of the sauce, simmer for an additional 15 to 20 minutes.
Tags: about minutes, chopped tomatoes, garlic onion, sauce with, simmer about