Simple Tomato Sauce - tomatoes

Method

• Peel, seed, and dice (see left): 2 pounds ripe tomatoes.
• Save the juice, strain out the seeds, and add the juice to the diced tomatoes.
• Peel: 5 large garlic cloves.
• Smash them and chop coarse.
• Put a heavy-bottomed pot over medium heat and when hot, pour in: 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil.
• Add the garlic and when it starts to sizzle, immediately add the tomatoes and their juice with a large pinch of: Salt.
• Cook at a simmer for 15 minutes.
• For a smooth sauce, pass through a food mill.
• Add a handful of chopped parsley, marjoram, or oregano or a chiffonade of basil leaves to the sauce a couple of minutes before it is done.
• Saute 1 small diced onion in the oil before adding the garlic.
• When tomatoes are out of season, use canned tomatoes: Drain, saving the juice, one 28-ounce can whole peeled tomatoes.
• Chop the tomatoes coarse and cook them with their juice.
• Add a whole dried chile or a pinch of dried chile flakes for spice.