Five Easy Tomato Sauce Recipes

By lorik

Makes about 3 cups, enough for 1 pound of pasta

Ingredients

• 2 Tbsp unsalted butter
• 1/4 cup finely chopped onion
• Salt and pepper
• 1/4 tsp dried oregano
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 (28 ounce) can crushed tomatoes
• 1/4 tsp sugar
• 2 Tbsp chopped fresh basil (dried will not work)
• 1 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil

Preparation

Step 1

Melt butter in medium saucepan over medium low heat. Add onion, 1/2 tsp salt, and oregano and cook, stirring occasionally, until onions are golden brown, 3 to 5 minutes. Add garlic and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Stir in tomatoes and sugar, increase heat to high, and bring to simmer. Reduce heat to medium low and simmer until thickened slightly, about 10 minutes. Off heat stir in basil and oil. Season with salt and pepper to taste and serve.

All'Amatriciana Sauce:
Cook 4 ounces diced salt pork in melted butter until crispy, 7 to 10 minutes. Transfer pork to a paper towel lined plate. Remove all but 2 Tbsp fat from pot and cook onion mixture and garlic as directed above. When garlic is fragrant, add 1/2 cup red wine to pot and reduce by 1/2, about 2 minutes. Proceed with recipe, omitting basil, and stirring in pork and 1/2 cup grated Pecorino Romano cheese at end along with oil.

Arrabbiata Sauce:
Add 3/4 tsp red pepper flakes to onion mixture. Increase garlic to 4 minced cloves. Substitute chopped fresh parsley for basil.

Puttanesca Sauce:
Add 4 rinsed and minced anchovy fillets and 1/2 tsp red pepper flakes to onion mixture. Substitute 1/4 cup chopped kalamata olives and 3 Tbsp rinsed and minced capers for basil.

Vodka Cream Sauce:
Add 1/2 cup vodka along with tomatoes. Substitute chopped fresh parsley for basil and 1/4 cup heavy cream for olive oil.