For some reason, North Americans invariably refer to this as marinara sauce, which always sounds a bit pretentious to me! Whatever you choose to call it, the easiest way to make it is with a can of chopped tomatoes. However, if fresh tomatoes are cheap and full-flavoured, they are also very good, so long as you don’t mind little bits of skin in it.
If you want to peel the tomatoes first, immerse the tomato in boiling water for 1 minute and then immediately plunge it into cold water to stop it cooking. A bowl of seawater is fine for this. If you pierce the skin first, it is easier to start the peeling process.
1 onion
- Dice the onion and cook it in the olive oil for 5 minutes or so. Dice the garlic and add it to the pan.
- When the garlic is softened, add the can of tomatoes, or the fresh ones, diced.
- Cook for 10 to 15 minutes over a moderate heat until the sauce has thickened to the texture you want. Season with salt and pepper.
Variations:
This is a very basic, but surprisingly good sauce. It can be seasoned with basil, thyme or any other herb that takes your fancy: fresh basil, of course is particularly good as is fresh Italian parsley. Cinnamon or chilli can also be used, and a dollop of red wine raises it to gourmet standards. If you are feeling especially elegant, put it through a wire sieve to make a smooth purée.