Basic Tomato Sauce 1

By LeeBoruchow

The goal here is to create a very simply flavored tomato sauce that you can use as a building block in different recipes. And if you are wondering, YES San Marzano tomatoes make a difference. If you don't want to make your own sauce, you can of course buy one from the store, but keep it basic -- no sausage and roasted peppers please.

Ingredients

• 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 Spanish onion, 1/4-inch dice
• 4 garlic cloves, peeled and thinly sliced
• 3 tablespoons chopped fresh thyme leaves, or 1 tablespoon dried
• 1/2 medium carrot, finely grated
• 2 (28-ounce) cans peeled whole San Marzano tomatoes, crushed by hand with juices
• Salt

Preparation

Step 1

In a 3-quart saucepan, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the onion and garlic, and cook until soft and light golden brown, about 8 to 10 minutes. Add the thyme and carrot, and cook 5 minutes more, until the carrot is quite soft. Add the tomatoes and juice and bring to a boil, stirring often. Lower the heat and simmer for 30 minutes until as thick as hot cereal.