Categories: italian, not tried, pasta, sauce, tomato

Ingredients

• 2 T extra virgin olive oil
• 1 medium onion, diced
• 3-5 cloves garlic, crushed with flat of knife and sliced thinly
• 1/2 to 1 cup diced, fresh basil. (It's your call. We usually use close to a cup)
• 1/2 cup red wine. (Good enough quality to drink)
• 1 T turbinado (raw) sugar (or Splenda)
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 1 28 oz. (=2x400g) can crushed or diced tomatoes.
• 1 t lemon juice (optional)
• 3 T brandy (optional)

Directions

1. Sauté onions in olive oil over low heat, covered, for 10-12 minutes.

2. Add garlic and basil, re-cover, for another 5 minutes or so.

3. Uncover and add wine. Reduce by about half.

4. Add tomatoes and S & P and simmer for 15 minutes. You can reduce the sauce further and intensify the flavor. We like to add the brandy and lemon juice about 3-4 minutes before finishing.

5. If you want to turn this sauce into Neapolitan Sauce, add 10-12 sliced ripe olives, and 1 1/2 T capers just before finishing.

6. Fresh Italian Parsley can be added at the end if you like it.

7. For a nice twist, add 3-5 crushed and chopped anchovies. You talk about kicking something up a notch! Especially good in fish stew (Cioppino). Yum!!!

Email to a friend | Print this recipe | Back