The finest tomato sauce alla Napoletana

Ingredients for 2 servings:

• 500 g tomatoes, ripe
• 3 tbsp olive oil, cold squeezed
• 1 shallot(s)
• 1 large garlic clove(s)
• 1 tbsp, heaped tomato paste
• 1 sprig(s) basil
• 1 jar water
• e.g. chili powder
• Salt and pepper, black, from the mill

Instructions

Working time approx. 15 minutes; Cooking/baking time approx. 1 hour 30 minutes; Total time approx. 1 hour 45 minutes

This is the original and simplest version of tomato sauce and is one of the classics of Neapolitan cuisine.

Peel and halve the garlic clove, and sauté in olive oil. Add the finely diced shallot and sauté until translucent. Add the tomato paste. Remove from the pan before the garlic browns; it’s only there to flavor the olive oil. Add the finely chopped tomatoes, the basil sprig, and a glass of water to the pan. Simmer over low heat for about 60 minutes, but 90 minutes is better. Stir frequently, adding a little more water if necessary. Make sure the sauce has thickened slightly at the end of the cooking time. Gently season with chili powder, salt, and pepper and pass through a food mill. If you don’t have one, pass through a sieve. Note: This sauce can also be used as a base for all kinds of tomato sauces. For example, with minced meat for a delicious Bolognese. Otherwise, anything goes. It goes well with any kind of penne, whether spaghetti, rigatoni, fettuccine, lasagna, cannelloni, and much more. Of course also with many meat or fish dishes.