1. It begins with a base of onion, garlic, carrot, and celery. You won't notice these veggies in the finished product, but by then they have worked their magic.
2. It simmers for an hour. The flavors have time to meld and concentrate, for maximum impact.
3. You puree it. Thus, you've got a thick, consistent, vibrant red sauce that coats whatever you put it on.
1 small onion
2 cloves garlic
1 carrot
1 stalk celery
5 tomatoes
bay leaf
fresh basil
S&P
Add chopped onion and garlic to hot olive oil in a large saucepan. Cook until translucent, 5-10 minutes, careful not to burn the garlic. Add chopped carrots and celery. (At this point, you can deglaze the pan with red wine if you like, or not). Add chopped tomatoes, bay leaf, any herbs or spices you like (like red pepper flakes, onion/garlic powder, oregano, thyme, etc), and some fresh basil leaves. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to low, and simmer uncovered for 1 hour. Remove bay leaf. Add more fresh basil, blend in food processor or blender until smooth, then return to the pan. (You can add a tablespoon of butter, to round out the acidity, if you like). Season with salt and pepper.
