This simple tomato sauce is inspired by my mother, who learned Italian cooking from Elena Faita in Montreal's Little Italy. Over the years, I've made it my own, keeping it simple, fresh and full of flavour.
I usually use canned tomatoes, but in late summer, when fresh tomatoes are abundant, I love making it with tomatoes from our garden. Simply blanch them, transfer them to cold water, peel and chop before adding them to the sauce.
I especially love using colourful cherry tomatoes, like the ones we grow in our urban garden. They bring a lovely sweetness and sometimes give the sauce a beautiful pinkish hue.
It's a simple, comforting sauce that I love serving with pasta or my homemade eggplant parmigiana.
Ingredients
- •3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- •2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
- •1 tsp dried oregano, or to taste
- •Salt, to taste
- •freshly ground black pepper (optional)
- •3 cans diced tomatoes, c. 1194 ml
- •6 leaves fresh basil
Preparation
Heat the extra virgin olive oil in a saucepan over medium-low heat.
Add the chopped garlic, dried oregano, salt and a little black pepper, if desired. Gently sauté for about one minute, allowing the garlic and herbs to infuse the olive oil without browning.
Add the diced tomatoes and stir gently to combine. Reduce the heat and simmer uncovered for 15–20 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the sauce reaches your desired consistency. Add the fresh basil leaves during the last minute of cooking.
Taste and adjust the seasoning as needed.
