Home from a week away and tired after a long journey. I was so close to ordering pizza but then I realised what I really wanted was a bowl of pasta with a good tomato sauce and too much Parmesan. So I turned to the easiest tomato sauce for pasta there is.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
This classic recipe from Marcella Hazan is stupidly easy but deserves every bit of adulation from all the food writers who sing its praises. I don’t know why I hadn’t tried it earlier – I think it just sounded a bit too plain. My mistake.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Just put 2 cans of unsalted, unseasoned tomatoes (about 800g or 24oz in total) in a medium sized saucepan with 5 tablespoons butter (about 60g), a red or yellow onion that you’ve peeled and cut in half and a big pinch of salt.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Pop a lid on then simmer the whole lot together on a low heat for 45 minutes, stirring occasionally. Then pull out the onion (I snaffle it with a sprinkle of salt as a cook’s treat). I add black pepper before stirring the sauce through pasta, using a little of the pasta cooking water to get the right silky texture. Then I serve it with freshly grated Parmesan.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
It goes against all I usually do to leave out the red wine vinegar, olive oil and basil but her recipe just works. The butter softens the acidity of the tomatoes. The onion leaves a modest whisper of flavour. The ultimate store cupboard dinner with minimal effort. And if the butter freaks you out please don’t let it – it’s a ton less fat than most pre-prepared sauces (and there is no sugar in this unlike the bought stuff).<\/p>\n\n\n\n
I’ve also made a video of this to help you see what to expect.<\/p>\n\n\n