Rustic, Reliable, Ridiculously Good: A Sauce to Die For

I’m an avid home cook with just a sprinkle of delusion—I mean, who doesn’t pretend they’re a world-renowned chef in their own kitchen? Kidding… sort of. But honestly? I do think I’m not to bad in the kitchen. So I often experiment and sometimes I come out with real winners and other times it’s a complete flop. But this is a “sauce” I’ve been doing for years and it never fails me.

It’s rustic, a little sweet, tangy and light. It’s one of my favourite go-to sauces for when I have to make a quick pasta on the fly. And I usually have all the ingredients on hand, since they are staples in our home. And I find this is great with any pasta shape you like, so booooonus!

Now forgive me, but I cook like my Nonnas taught me, which is a pinch of that and a sprinkle of this, etc. So I’m going to try giving measurements to the best of my ability. Okay? OKAY! I’ll quit yapping now and get to it.

Recipe:

• 2-3 Vine tomatoes, rustically chopped
• 4-6 Garlic cloves, rustically chopped
• 1 Very large Sweet Onion, rustically chopped
• 1/2 Cup Olive Oil
• Salt to taste
• A pinch of black pepper, small pinch
• Approximately 1 Tbsp of Garlic powder
• Approximately 1-2 Tbsp of Italian Seasoning

Here are some side notes before we jump into the instructions.

1. I usually like to mix different tomatoes, so if I have some vine tomatoes and cherry tomatoes, I will do a half and half mix. You can use any tomatoes you prefer though and adapt as you like.
2. I LOVE garlic and my husband is secretly a vampire (just kidding), but the more garlic the merrier in our house. If you don’t enjoy a lot of garlic, cut down on the amount or if you do, add more.
3. I like sweet onions, personally for this, because it balances out the acidity of the tomatoes, however if you have another type of onion on hand, use it! The only type I don’t recommend using is red onion, but again, try at your own risk!
4. OLIVE OIL, please! You can use other types of oil, but if you are going to take the time to make this, than a really delicious olive oil is a must. It is the base of the whole thing so why not? Plus a good olive oil has incredible flavour.
5. Spices and Herbs are pretty simple but if you wish to pack a bit of a punch, add some red pepper flakes while it’s cooking. Also fresh is best, BUT dried are completely fine and often what I use because it’s readily available. Be creative and adapt to whatever you enjoy.

Instructions:

1. Roughly chop all ingredients and set aside. This is rustic, so it’s okay if things are different shapes and sizes. (Sorry I forgot to take a picture of the onions…oops!)

2. Preheat the pan and add THE oil. Heat will be medium to medium high. Once hot, add in the onions first and sprinkle with just a pinch of salt. This helps to draw out the moisture and caramelize them. Cook the unions until slightly tender.

3. Add the tomatoes, garlic and spices once the onions are slightly tender. Reduce heat to medium low and let everything simmer gently. When the tomatoes have softened slightly, which takes only a few minutes, you will then take the back of the spoon or spatula (whatever you prefer to use when you cook, I personally like wooden spoons) and crush some of the tomato chunks. Leave some whole chunks.

This is the time when you’d also taste test for seasonings. Add more if necessary. Just remember, you can always add but you can’t subtract.

4. The sauce is ready when everything is tender, which is approximately 15-20 minutes. It should look like the photo above. Also, take into account the amount you are making, timing could be different.

I do suggest that you begin cooking your pasta before the sauce is ready, usually when it’s about half-way through. Drain your pasta, add a bit of sauce to the empty pot, put the pasta back in and add the remaining sauce, mix well.

Plate into bowls for your family or guests. You can also reserve some of the sauce to place on-top of bowls for a little bit extra.

I can’t claim this as an original, I’m sure some other Italian came up with this deliciousness waaaaay before I even came along. However, this is my version so if you try it, I truly hope you enjoy it!

Buon Appetito! 💋

Ciao!