Sauce · Italian
Basic tomato sauce
Marcella Hazan's 3-ingredient miracle. Tomatoes, butter, onion, no garlic, no fuss.
A basic tomato sauce is the foundation of countless meals, from pasta to pizza to braises. Marcella Hazan's version needs only good tinned tomatoes, butter, and a halved onion, left to simmer gently until it thickens. Master this and you always have dinner within reach.
Ingredients
- 800 g good tinned whole tomatoes, san marzano if you can
- 80 g butter
- 1 onion, peeled, halved
- salt
Method
- Tip tomatoes (with juice) into a wide pot. Crush by hand.
- Add butter and the onion halves cut-side down. Pinch of salt.
- Simmer uncovered, very gently, stirring occasionally.
- Fish out the onion (cook's treat). Taste, should be sweet and round, not sharp.
- Toss with pasta, dolloped on bread, stirred into anything that needs life.
Tips
- Use the best tinned whole tomatoes you can find, since with so few ingredients there is nowhere for a poor one to hide.
- Simmer long enough to reduce and concentrate, which deepens the flavour and thickens the sauce.
- A pinch of sugar can balance the acidity of the tomatoes if the sauce tastes too sharp.
Common questions
Can I freeze tomato sauce?
Yes, it freezes beautifully for up to three months. Make a big batch and portion it for quick future meals.
Why is my tomato sauce bitter?
Under-ripe tomatoes are the usual cause, and letting the sauce catch on the base of the pan will do it too. Keep the heat low, stir now and then, and add a small pinch of sugar to balance the acidity.