Weekday Tomato Sauce

A word on jarred tomato sauces: I never use them.  When I want a fast-cooking tomato sauce, I make this simple recipe. I can’t emphasize enough that there is a vast difference in taste between one brand of canned tomatoes and the next. Bianco DiNapoli is by far my favorite and worth the hunt. Organically grown in California, they are bright in taste and minimally processed.

Ingredients

• 1 28-oz can whole tomatoes

• 2 tablespoons olive oil

• 1 medium onion, finely chopped

• 3 cloves garlic, minced

• fresh basil

• salt and black pepper

Heat a saucepan to medium-high and add olive oil. Sauté onion with a pinch of salt until the onions are translucent, and add chopped garlic.

Add the tomatoes, salt, pepper, and basil and simmer on med-low heat for 15-minutes. Turn off heat and use an immersion blender or food processor to purée.

You can also choose to purée the tomatoes first if you want to keep the onions whole, or you can add the tomatoes and crush them with a spoon—so many options!

I like to top it with a bit more olive oil to taste.