Simple Tomato Sauce
A bright, versatile tomato sauce comes down to patience. By slowly sweating garlic in olive oil before adding crushed tomatoes and letting them simmer just until the oil separates and beads on the surface, you achieve a clean, intense flavor that works as the base for almost any meal.
Control the acidity through time.
Use high-quality canned tomatoes; the sauce is only as good as the fruit you put into it. Keep the heat low to avoid scorching the sugars in the tomato.
- Heavy-bottomed saucepan
- Wooden spoon
- Chef's knife
What goes in.
- 2 tbspextra virgin olive oil
- 3 clovesgarlic, thinly sliced
- 28 ozcanned crushed tomatoes
- 1 tspkosher salt
- 4-5 leavesfresh basil
Watching for the beads
You know the sauce is finished when the water has evaporated enough that the olive oil rises to the surface and forms small, clear pools among the red tomato.
The method.
Bloom the aromatics
Place the olive oil and sliced garlic in a cold pan. Turn the heat to medium-low. Let the garlic sizzle slowly until it turns pale gold. Do not let it turn dark brown, or it will turn the entire sauce bitter.
Add the tomatoes
Pour in the crushed tomatoes carefully to avoid splashing. Stir in the salt. Bring the mixture to a very gentle bubble, then drop the heat to the lowest setting.
Simmer
Leave the sauce uncovered for 30 to 40 minutes. Stir occasionally, scraping the bottom of the pan to ensure nothing is sticking. When you see the oil separating from the tomato solids, it is ready.
Finish
Turn off the heat. Tear the basil leaves by hand and stir them into the hot sauce. Taste and add more salt if necessary.
Other turns to take.
Spicy Arrabbiata
Add half a teaspoon of crushed red pepper flakes to the olive oil at the same time as the garlic.
Hearty Onion Base
Finely dice half a yellow onion and sauté it until translucent before adding the garlic.
When it doesn't go to plan.
If your tomatoes taste too sharp, add a pinch of sugar, but only after the sauce has simmered fully.
If the sauce gets too thick, add a tablespoon of pasta water to loosen the consistency.
Do not use dried herbs if you have fresh basil; the flavor profile changes completely.
The ones that keep coming up.
Should I peel the tomatoes?
If you are using high-quality canned crushed tomatoes, the skins are already removed or processed to be undetectable. If using whole peeled tomatoes, crush them by hand before adding.
Can I freeze this?
Yes. Let the sauce cool completely before putting it into freezer-safe bags or containers. It will keep for three months.