Authentic (Quick) Italian Tomato Sauce for Pasta
NOTE: To enjoy with pasta as soon as the sauce is ready, put a large pot of salted water on the cooktop over high heat and cook the pasta (I prefer De Cecco) as directed (if you are using egg or a very quick cooking pasta, do this about half-way through these directions).
Ingredients
- 4 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- 1 to 5 cloves fresh garlic (not in a jar, dried, powdered, or frozen) preferably grown in USA/Europe
- small bunch of fresh Italian parsley, finely chopped (my family likes to use parsley in sugo)
- 1 (28-32 oz) about 800g carton/jar of whole, chopped tomatoes or puree (like Mutti, or Bionaturae) any tomatoes listed on the Greatest Tomatoes from Europe site will be fantastic or about 1 lb of fresh tomatoes (San Marzano, Roma or cherry tomatoes are great)
- about 1 1/2 level tsp sea salt
- 3 or 4 large leaves of fresh basil, more to add to each plate, if desired
Directions
- 1
Pour the oil into a large saute pan (not a deep pot) over medium high heat. Crush the garlic and add it to the oil (if you want a spicy sauce, you can add some hot pepper, fresh or flakes, at this point). Saute the garlic until it just starts to brown, then add the parsley.
- 2
Turn the heat up to high. Now add the tomatoes, and quickly cover with the lid for about 30 seconds, until the squirting subsides. Stir with a wooden spoon and lower the heat a little. It is important that this sauce is cooked at a fast simmer, as it is cooked briefly.
- 3
Add the salt and continue to simmer at a fast pace, and stir often.
- 4
The sauce will thicken quickly, so do not overcook it, and have it become too thick; about 5 to 7 minutes should be sufficient.
- 5
Taste the sauce, if it doesn't taste delicious, it probably just needs a little more salt. Turn off the heat and add the fresh basil (I tear mine into pieces). Also, unless absolutely necessary, do not wash your basil. Wipe it with a damp paper towel instead, so the water doesn't ruin the flavor and aroma.
- 6
Use as desired.