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Ingredients1 small onion, chopped
1 clove of garlic, minced OR 1/2 Tbs. pre-chopped garlic 3 frozen cubes of basil (about 1 Tbs) OR 2 Tbs. chopped fresh 1 28 oz. can Pastene or San Marzano ground tomatoes olive oil for sauteeing |
Directions |
1. Pour 1/2 Tbs. olive oil in a large sauce pan. Heat until it begins to shimmer and then add the chopped onion. Saute over medium heat until onion is translucent and soft.
2. Add garlic and saute for 1 minute more, stirring mixture constantly to avoid burning the garlic. 3. Open tomatoes and add to pan (remove from heat, there may be some spattering). Add basil and stir to combine. Cover and simmer over low heat for 10 minutes. 4. Taste and add salt if needed before serving. Yield: about 1 quart of sauce, a generous amount for a pound of pasta. |
Good to know |
The frozen basil shown above can be purchased at Trader Joe's and is extremely handy.
If you have fresh basil, cut it using the "chiffonade" technique: stack 5-10 leaves of basil in a pile and roll them up with the stems hanging off one end. Slice them with a sharp knife to create thin strips. These little strips (literally translated from French chiffonade means "made of rags") can be used both in the recipe and as a pretty accent on top of the finished sauce. |