Simple Tomato and Basil Sauce

Spiel

A good tomato sauce cannot be made without good tomatoes. I like canned tomatoes for certain sauces because they’re just as good in the winter as they are in the summer—unlike fresh tomatoes, which are only good in summer—and they lend themselves to a richer sauce, with very little work.

This sauce doesn’t have many ingredients. It’s the opposite of Emeril Lagasse’s “BAM, BAM, BAM!” explosions of flavor. This sauce is about harmony, about letting the garlic and whole basil leaves gently infuse their flavors into the tomatoes. The carrots add natural sweetness, without sugar, and lend a mildly earthy flavor.

Meal

Makes about 2 cups

1 (28-ounce) can whole peeled tomatoes (See Note)
1⁄4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
3 large garlic cloves
1⁄2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
1 to 2 carrots, cut into matchstick pieces
1 to 1 1⁄2 teaspoons kosher salt
10 to 15 fresh basil leaves (no need to remove the stems)

Note: I prefer San Marzano tomatoes. Refer to this video to learn how to choose canned tomatoes.

Place a medium-sized heavy-bottomed pan over a medium flame for a couple of minutes.
Add the tomatoes and their juices to a food processor or blender and pulse into a thick pulp. You can also squeeze the tomatoes by hand, but be careful of the splattering!
Add the olive oil to the hot pan, followed by the garlic, red pepper flakes, and carrots. Watch as bubbles emanate from the garlic; this means the garlic is infusing its flavor into the oil. Don’t let the garlic burn or even brown. You want it to stay translucent.
After several minutes, add the tomato puree. You will see olive oil coming up on the sides of the tomatoes; this is ok, the olive oil helps to transform the flavor of the tomatoes.
Add a good sprinkling of salt (about 1 teaspoon) and a large handful of basil leaves. Stir occasionally. The mixture will be done when it is no longer watery and the sauce has thickened, 20 to 25 minutes.
Taste for salt and add more if necessary. If you aren’t sure if there is enough salt, there isn’t. Add more.
Remove the carrots and use them as a side dish for another meal (see Variation). It’s up to you if you want to remove the garlic and basil leaves or keep them in for a rustic feel.

Variation: If you’d like a sweeter, more nutritious sauce, remove the garlic and basil and puree the tomato sauce with about half of the carrots in a blender or food processor. It will be delicious (and a good way to hide vegetables from the kids).

Watch video on how to cook perfect al dente pasta.