Simple, delicious pasta sauce

When I think of my favorite comfort foods, one of the first things that comes to mind is my mother’s tomato sauce served over pasta. My mother has been using the same recipe for as long as I can remember, and with good reason. This sauce is incredibly easy to make, it freezes well, and it reheats perfectly in the microwave. Great for busy college students, this sauce can be stored in individual portions, so it is ready to reheat and serve.

When I cook, I make an effort to make as much from scratch as possible, but within reason. It is not always practical to make a sauce using fresh tomatoes; but, I still like to avoid the jars of ready-made marinara. My mother’s sauce is made with canned tomato sauce (I like to use Hunt’s). The glory of this recipe is in the other three ingredients: Fresh garlic, fresh basil, and extra virgin olive oil.

What sets this tomato sauce apart from a typical marinara sauce is its velvety, smooth texture. The sweet flavor of tomato is interrupted by bursts of garlic and large pieces of basil. The simplicity of this recipe allows the flavors to really sing.

Served over pasta, this sauce tastes great topped with Parmesan. However, this sauce tastes particularly wonderful topped with sharp cheddar. This recipe makes a great base for meaty Bolognese style sauce, and it also works very well for making lasagna and pizza.

— Phoebe Isaac

Four Crossed Logs intern

professional communication major

Ingredients:

• 2 large cans of tomato sauce
• 2 ounces of fresh basil, rinsed and dried, cut into 1 inch strips
• 4 to 6 cloves of garlic, peeled and roughly chopped
• 3 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil

Steps:

1. Heat 2 tablespoons of oil in a large saucepan over medium. 

2. Decrease heat to medium-low, and add garlic to saucepan.

3. Cook, stirring frequently, until garlic is fragrant and slightly soft (about 5 minutes).

4. Add tomato sauce, and stir to combine; increase heat to medium-high and bring to a gentle boil (I highly recommend using a splatter-guard to cover saucepan).

5. Add the remaining tablespoon of oil and the basil, and reduce heat to medium-low. Allow sauce to simmer for 45 minutes, stirring occasionally, until sauce has thickened slightly.

6. Remove saucepan from heat and allow sauce to rest (5 minutes). Serve over pasta. Refrigerate or freeze leftover sauce.