I think many people assume that you have to be an Italian grandmother to make an amazing tomato sauce. I’m here to tell you that’s not true! I have several recipes for different pasta sauces, including basic marinara, bolognese, and even a vegetable bolognese (all to be posted in the future!) However, since I know that many college-age kids (and adults, too) don’t always have a wealth of ingredients hanging around in their pantries or fridges, I want to show you how to take a 79-cent can of plain Tomato Sauce and turn it into a flavorful sauce to be used on any kind of pasta or Italian dish of your choice. This can be used just how it is, or it can be a building block for a more complex sauce.
Ingredients:
1 12-oz can of plain Tomato Sauce
1/3 of an onion, chopped
3 garlic cloves, chopped
1 tablespoon dried basil
1/2 tablespoon dried oregano
1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
Drizzle of Extra Virgin Olive Oil
1 splash of dry white wine
Directions:
In a pot, heat the Extra Virgin Olive Oil over medium-heat. After the pot is heated, throw in the diced onion. Allow the onion to cook for about 4 minutes, until translucent, being sure to move them around frequently with a spatula.
Throw in the chopped garlic. Let this cook for a minute, until the garlic is fragrant (careful, it burns fast!)
Next, add a healthy splash of white wine (around 3 tablespoons).
Move the onions and garlic around in the white wine with a spatula, scraping up any brown bits on the bottom of the pan. After most of the alcohol has cooked out of the wine (about 2 1/2 minutes), pour in the can of tomato sauce.
Add the basil, oregano, pepper flakes, salt and pepper. Let this simmer on medium-low heat for about 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.
That’s it!
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