Cook Time
45 minutes
Servings
6
Ingredients
- 2 pounds fresh, ripe tomatoes, prepared as described OR 2 cups canned imported Italian plum tomatoes, cut up, with their juice
- 5 tablespoons butter
- 1 medium onion, peeled and cut in half
- Salt
- 1 to 1½ pounds pasta
- Freshly grated parmigiano-reggiano cheese for the table
Instructions
- Put either the prepared fresh tomatoes or the canned in a saucepan, add the butter, onion, and salt.
- Cook uncovered at a very slow, but steady simmer for 45 minutes, or until the fat floats free from the tomato.
- Stir from time to time, mashing any large piece of tomato in the pan with the back of a wooden spoon.
- Taste and correct for salt.
- Discard the onion before tossing the sauce with pasta.
Notes
This is the simplest of all sauces to make, and none has a purer, more irresistibly sweet tomato taste. Recommended pasta: This is an unsurpassed sauce for Potato Gnocchi, but it is also delicious with factory-made pasta in such shapes as spaghetti, penne, or rigatoni. Serve with grated Parmesan. May be frozen when done. Discard the onion before freezing.