Basic Tomato Sauce
| Ingredient | ||
| 1/4 | cup | extra-virgin olive oil |
| 1 | piece | medium size onion, 1/4-inch dice |
| 4 | cloves | cloves, peeled and thinly sliced |
| 3 | tablespoon | chopped fresh thyme leaves, or 1 tablespoon dried |
| 1/2 | piece | medium carrot, finely grated |
| 2 | cans | (28-oz) cans peeled whole tomatoes, crushed by hand & juices reserved |
| Salt | ||
| Spaghetti, cooked al dente | ||
| Whole basil leaves, for garnish | ||
| Grated Parmesan, (optional) | ||
Procedure
- In a saucepan, heat the olive oil over medium heat.
- Add the onion and garlic, and cook until soft and light golden brown, about 8 to 10 minutes.
- Add the thyme and carrot, and cook 5 minutes more, until the carrot is quite soft.
- Add the tomatoes and juice and bring to a boil, stirring often.
- Lower the heat and simmer for 30 minutes until thick.
- Season with salt and serve. This sauce holds 1 week in the refrigerator or up to 6 months in the freezer.
When ready to use, the cooked pasta should be added to a saucepan with the appropriate amount of sauce. Garnish with basil leaves and cheese, if using.