No Fail Tomato Sauce

Photo: jspatchwork

Pasta with a simple tomato sauce is one of my favorite comfort foods, filling the kitchen with sweet, rich smells. My sister Jody, an excellent cook, taught me this recipe after learning from an italian friend's mother - so you know you can't go wrong. This recipe allows for much variation, use it in its most simple form or as a foundation.

Simple Tomato Sauce

Ingredients:

Canned Tomatoes - I exclusively use whole canned tomatoes from San Marzano. If you are lucky enough to find these in your grocery store, feel lucky. Many will have to search. They are a little more expensive than the ordinary canned tomatoes - maybe $1 to $2 more per can - but they are truly worth every cent.

Yellow Onion - I like the flavor that these onions bring to the sauce, but sweeter varieties are also a nice addition.

Olive Oil - I prefer extra virgin for this recipe, though because it will cook for a long time an expensive one is not necessary.

Sugar - Most of the time I use a little sugar, maybe 1/2 a teaspoon, to the sauce to balance out the acidic quality that can arise. When using sweeter onions taste before you add this ingredient.

Salt - I add salt at the end, to taste. I have also made this recipe without salt when my guests are avoiding salt in their diets and have not found it too bland.

Pepper - Fresh ground, of course, to taste.

Optional Ingredients:

Red Pepper Flakes - I love to add red pepper flakes for a little kick.

Anchovy Paste - I sometimes add this in place of salt, but be careful not to use too much. A little can go a long way in this sauce.

Italian Sausage - I would betray my family's south side of Chicago roots if I didn't put a plug in for a good saaausage (pronounced with a long a if you're from the neighborhood). I prefer hot italian sausage, but any good italian will be nice.

Basil - I tend to use a little dried, added while the sauce is cooking. Fresh basil is also nice, though when I use fresh I tend to sprinkle a little chiffonade at the end.

Parmigiano-Reggiano - I save the rinds in my refridgerator and add one to the sauce as it's cooking. It adds a richness I am confident you will enjoy. Remove before serving and beware - it will burn and stick to the bottom of the pot if you cook your sauce on a heat that is too high. Nibbling off the soft gooey cheese is a nice treat for the chef. :)

Garlic - No, this recipe does not include garlic. I will share other tomato sauces soon that include garlic, but I like the absence of garlic in this recipe. That said, use garlic if you feel so inclined, though be careful not to brown it or it can become bitter.

Technique:

• Slice onion (one large) along the grain. I prefer to slice with the grain to keep the slices neat and intact. I slice mine to make long, thin slices, which makes a nice contrast to the little rounds of italian sausage that I often add to this sauce.
• Saute onion in a non-reactive pot, I love my le crueset for this sauce, in olive oil until lightly golden. Add red pepper flakes if so desired and anchovy paste at this stage, though be careful not to scorch the anchovy paste because it can make your sauce a little bitter.
• Add canned tomatoes. I prefer to crush them in my hands before I add them to the pot, though beware - they will squirt. A good masher can also do the trick. This is a rustic sauce, though you may also puree these tomatoes prior to adding to the sauce for a smoother texture.
• Add the cheese rind if you so choose and roughly 1-2 teaspoons of dried basil at this stage.
• Simmer on low for at least 1 hour. I have been known to simmer this for several hours.
• Taste - add a little sugar when you are mid-way through your cooking process. Add in small amounts, maybe 1/4-1/2 teaspoon at a time. You can always add more.
• If adding italian sausage, I prefer to brown mind in a pan first. Once nicely browned, but not necessarily cooked through, I like to wipe out the grease that has emerged from the sausage, deglaze the pan, slice the sausage into bite-sized rounds, and add to my sauce at least 1/2 hour before serving so that the flavors can meld.
• I like to add salt and pepper at the end, to taste.

To serve, add a generous sprinkle of cheese on top of your sauce and pasta. I also like to add chopped green onions and parsley. I sometimes add fresh basil. If my husband is eating this, he adds more red pepper flakes. Experiment. You can't go wrong.

Buon Appetito.