This definitive recipe has been my go-to for years. Although the directions say to discard the onion before tossing the sauce with pasta, I leave the onion in and find that white or red varieties work equally well. This recipe makes four servings or enough sauce for a pound of pasta.
Ingredients:
2 cups tomatoes, in addition to their juices
5 Tbsp. unsalted butter
1 small white or red onion, peeled and cut in half
Kosher salt to taste
Shaved Parmesan cheese (optional garnish)
Fresh basil leaves, ripped (optional garnish)
Directions:
Combine the tomatoes, their juices, the butter and the onion halves in a saucepan. Add a pinch or two of salt.
Place over medium heat and bring to a simmer. Cook, uncovered, for about 45 minutes. Stir occasionally, mashing any large pieces of tomato with a spoon. Add salt as needed.
Remove and discard the onion. Serve over hot pasta and top with shaved Parmesan and fresh basil, if desired.
