The Tomato Sauce

Small pleasures are often overlooked. They are the quiet details that make daily life feel opulent. Not the breathless moments, but the ones that bring a soft smile and the comfort of familiarity. In food, those pleasures often come from the simplest recipes.

One of my simple pleasures is this tomato sauce, which I learned about nearly two decades ago in Veneto, Italy. Although slightly modified from the original, this sauce marked the beginning of my love for Italian food and remains the foundation of the Spicy Italian Sausage Orecchiette I shared in 2022.

While the Spicy Italian Sausage Orecchiette has layers of flavor from various ingredients and is more involved on the stove, this tomato sauce relies on one flavor, tomato, supported by garlic, basil, and salt. The salt? It brings out the acidity of the tomato.

Shown above with French Miso Lamb, this tomato sauce with spaghetti is a versatile companion to meat dishes, from lamb to chicken. Delicious on its own, you can also add meatballs, sausages, or mushrooms to make it an entrée. Of course, it can be savored simply with spaghetti.

INGREDIENTS

[makes sauce for 2 to 3 servings of pasta]

one can of 790 grams / 27.9 ounces crushed tomatoes

twelve fresh basil leaves, sliced

four garlic cloves, sliced

two tablespoons of olive oil

one tablespoon of tomato paste

salt and pepper to taste

Heat a Dutch oven over high heat and add olive oil once hot. Add the garlic slices and cook until they begin to turn light brown, then remove them while leaving the oil in the Dutch oven. Add the sliced basil leaves and crushed tomatoes, then immediately lower the heat to medium. Let it simmer for about five minutes, stirring once or twice. Add a quarter teaspoon of salt and a couple of pinches of cracked pepper.

Stir once or twice before adding the tomato paste. Carefully taste, as the sauce will be hot. Add another quarter teaspoon of salt if it tastes like something is missing. Stir and taste again. If more salt is needed, add a pinch at a time to your taste. The total stove cooking time is 18 minutes.

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More recipes:

Bibim-Soba

French Miso Lamb

Samgyetang, aka Korean Ginseng Chicken Soup

Miso Brûlée Salmon

Penne Rigate alla Vodka

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