Marcella hazan tomato sauce

Ingrédients

900 g/2 Ib fresh, ripe tomatoes, prepared as described on page 164, or 500 g/1 lb 2 oz tinned imported Italian plum tomatoes, cut up, with their juice 75 g/2/2 0z butter

1 medium onion, peeled and cut in half salt 450-675 g/1-1'/½ lb pasta freshly grated parmigiano-reggiano cheese for the table

4g salt

1.5g sugar

REcOMMENDED PASTA This is an unsurpassed sauce tor potato gnocchi,

Instructions

REcOMMENDED PASTA This is an unsurpassed sauce tor potato gnocchi, page 277, but it is also delicious with factory pasta in such shapes as spaghetti, penne and rigatoni. Serve with grated Parmesan.

Put either the prepared, fresh tomatoes or the tinned ones into a saucepan, add the butter, onion and salt, and cook uncovered at a very slow but Steady simmer for 45 minutes, or until the fat floats free from the tomatoes. 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.

FREEZER NOTE May be frozen when done, after discarding the onion.