This might sound a little too good to be true, but you can make a “from scratch” tomato sauce in about an hour. This basic sauce can be used for meatball sandwiches or your favourite pasta. If I feel I must, I will add a bay leaf, a sprig of thyme, a pinch of red chilli flakes, or a teaspoon of Italian seasoning. I have two modifications I consistently make to Marcella Hazan’s recipe: first, I add a pinch of sugar to soften the acidity of the canned tomatoes, and second, I use a hand blender to create a smooth sauce.

1. In a large sauce pot, add the canned tomatoes, butter, onion, and salt. Bring to a steady simmer and allow to cook for at least 45 minutes. The sauce with thicken, the onion is very soft, the tomato has broken down, and you may see fat separate from the tomato. Taste the sauce and season with additional salt if needed. This is when you would remove the bay leaf or sprig of thyme. If there is a strong tang or acidity, give it a pinch of sugar and let it simmer for a few minutes. Once your sauce tastes to your liking, blitz with hand blender until smooth. Your sauce is now ready for whatever delicious dish you have planned!

This is inspired by Marcella Hazan’s Tomato Sauce With Onion & Butter published by Food52. The recipe is also included in Essentials of Classic Italian Cooking by Marcella Hazan.