Basic Tomato Sauce

Ingredients

To prepare your mise en place, finely dice the onions and émincé the garlic. Deseed the tomatoes by pushing them through a food mill or passatutto. Measure out the tomato paste and olive oil and set aside. To make the sauce even thicker, drain the liquid from the whole tomatoes and pass only the whole tomatoes through the food mill or passatutto. Use the drained liquid in another dish.

To start the sauce, heat a heavy-bottomed pot over medium-low heat. Then add the oil, followed by the onions. Next, add a pinch of salt and let the onions gently cook until they soften and just begin to turn a slight golden color. Once they're ready, add the garlic and cook for about 1 minute or so, just until softened. Stir in the tomato paste and let it gently cook for a few minutes until it becomes a shade darker. Then add the deseeded tomatoes and a good pinch of salt. Stir to combine and bring to a simmer over medium-low heat. Cook uncovered for about 45 minutes, stirring occasionally to prevent scorching.

Once the sauce has finished cooking, turn off the heat and taste for seasoning. To give the sauce an Italian flair, torn, fresh basil can be added, along with a splash of olive oil to finish.