Equipment
Ingredients
Aromatics and Base
- 30 ml extra virgin olive oil
- 3 garlic, minced
- 30 g tomato paste
Tomatoes and Seasoning
- 400 g crushed tomatoes, canned
- 3 g sea salt
- 1 g black pepper, freshly ground
- 2 g granulated sugar
- 5 g fresh basil, torn
Nutrition (per serving)
Nutrition is estimated per serving. Nutrients without complete source data are omitted.
Full nutrition
- Calories
- 117 kcal
- Protein
- 2 g
- Carbohydrates
- 12 g
- Fat
- 8 g
- Fiber
- 2 g
- Sugar
- 6 g
- Sodium
- 498 mg
- Saturated Fat
- 1 g
- Monounsaturated Fat
- 6 g
- Polyunsaturated Fat
- 1 g
- Potassium
- 531 mg
- Calcium
- 28 mg
- Iron
- 2.1 mg
- Magnesium
- 28 mg
- Phosphorus
- 51 mg
- Zinc
- 0.5 mg
- Vitamin A
- 35 mcg
- Vitamin C
- 13 mg
- Vitamin E
- 3.1 mg
- Vitamin K
- 14 mcg
- Vitamin B6
- 0.2 mg
- Thiamin
- 0.04 mg
- Riboflavin
- 0.08 mg
- Niacin
- 1.5 mg
- Folate
- 12 mcg
- Water
- 96 g
Sources: Aggregated Public Data, USDA FoodData Central
Method
Using a chef knife and cutting board, mince the garlic cloves finely to ensure even cooking and maximum flavor extraction.
Heat the extra virgin olive oil in a medium saucepan over medium-low heat. Add the minced garlic and saute gently until fragrant and translucent, but not browned, about 1 to 2 minutes.
Stir the tomato paste into the oil and garlic mixture. Toast the paste over medium heat for 2 minutes. This process, called pincage, caramelizes the sugars and deepens the flavor of the paste.
Pour the crushed tomatoes into the saucepan. Add the sea salt, black pepper, and sugar. Stir well with a wooden spoon to combine everything thoroughly.
Increase the heat slightly to bring the mixture to a gentle boil, reaching approximately 100 degrees Celsius (212 degrees Fahrenheit). Once bubbling, immediately reduce the heat to low.
Simmer the sauce gently, uncovered, for 20 minutes. Stir occasionally to prevent sticking to the bottom of the saucepan. The sauce will thicken and the flavors will meld.
Remove the saucepan from the heat. Tear the fresh basil leaves and stir them into the hot sauce. Taste and adjust seasoning with additional salt or pepper if necessary.
Chef's Notes
- Toasting the tomato paste (a technique known as pincage) is the secret to making a 30-minute sauce taste like it simmered all afternoon.
- Always tear fresh basil rather than chopping it with a knife. Tearing bruises the leaves and releases more of the essential oils into your dish.
- For an even smoother base, you can blend the finished sauce with an immersion blender before adding the fresh basil.
- If you want a hint of heat, add a pinch of red pepper flakes along with the garlic during the saute phase.
Storage
Refrigerator: 1 week — Store in an airtight glass container.
Freezer: 6 months — Freeze in portion-sized containers or ice cube trays for easy deployment.
Reheating: Warm gently in a saucepan over medium-low heat until bubbling.
Troubleshooting
Sauce tastes overly acidic or metallic.
Cause: The brand of canned tomatoes is highly acidic, or the sauce didn't simmer long enough to mellow.
Fix: Stir in an additional 1 to 2 grams of sugar or a small pat of butter to round out the acidity.
Prevention: Use high-quality whole peeled or crushed tomatoes, such as San Marzano. Ensure the full simmering time is met.
Garlic tastes bitter.
Cause: The garlic was burnt during the initial saute phase.
Fix: Cannot be fixed. If the garlic burns before adding tomatoes, it is best to discard and start over.
Prevention: Maintain low heat and monitor constantly when cooking garlic in oil.
Sauce is too watery.
Cause: Tomatoes had high water content or sauce was covered during simmering.
Fix: Continue to simmer uncovered for another 5 to 10 minutes until desired consistency is reached.
Prevention: Always simmer tomato sauce uncovered to allow evaporation.
Cultural Context
Sugo di pomodoro, or basic tomato sauce, is the cornerstone of Italian home cooking. Originally relying strictly on seasonal summer tomatoes, the advent of high-quality canning allowed this vibrant, simple preparation to become a year-round staple globally. This quick iteration respects the traditional slow-simmered marinara by utilizing tomato paste to fast-track depth of flavor.
