If you master any one recipe in this book, this should be it. Not only does a bright, fresh tomato sauce turn any freshly made pasta into an event, but it’s also an indispensable component in dishes from basic ragus to Maloreddus with Squid, Tomato Sauce, and Lemon (page 97) and Linguine with Shrimp (page 90). Part of the fun of making your own sauce is squishing the whole tomatoes—and they must be San Marzanos—with your fingers. It can get messy, especially for those of us who wear glasses, but it’s worth it (and a good stress-reduction technique, to boot). Find an apron and get ready for a simple, well-balanced sauce that you’ll always want to have on hand. And when you can have this sauce ready in under an hour, why ever open a jar again?
Recipe information
Yield
makes 6 to 7 cups
Ingredients
Preparation
Step 1
Put the tomatoes in a deep bowl and crush them with your fingers. Heat the olive oil in a large saucepan over medium heat and sauté the onions and garlic until tender but not browned, 5 to 6 minutes. Add the tomatoes and basil leaves. Cook over medium-low heat for 30 to 40 minutes. Season lightly with salt and pepper.
Step 2
Use an immersion blender, if you have one, or pulse in a food processor to create a rough purée with some texture. The sauce keeps, covered, in the fridge for up to 3 days and freezes well.
San Marzano Tomatoes
Step 3
San Marzanos are the “it” tomatoes these days. You’ll hear lots of chefs wax poetic about the volcanic soil in which they’re grown, in an area close to Naples, or about their distinguished pedigree going back hundreds of years. For me, it boils down to meaty flesh—much, much more flesh to water as compared to regular plum tomatoes—and a sweet flavor that makes a difference you can really taste. Whether or not you buy the romantic backstory, make sure you use them in your sauce. Several imported brands are readily available in most markets these days.
