Classic Tomato Basil Sauce Recipes

CLASSIC TOMATO SPAGHETTI

Steps:

• Pick the basil leaves onto a chopping board (reserving a few baby leaves to garnish), then roughly chop the remaining leaves and finely chop the stalks.
• Peel and finely slice the onion and garlic. If using fresh, cut the tomatoes in half, then roughly chop them or carefully open the tins of tomatoes.
• Put a saucepan on a medium heat and add 1 tablespoon of olive oil and the onion, then cook for around 7 minutes, or until soft and lightly golden.
• Stir in the garlic and basil stalks for a few minutes, then add the fresh or tinned tomatoes and the vinegar.
• Season with a tiny pinch of salt and pepper, then continue cooking for around 15 minutes, stirring occasionally.
• Stir in the chopped basil leaves, then reduce to low and leave to tick away. Meanwhile...
• Carefully fill a large pot three-quarters of the way up with boiling water, add a tiny pinch of salt and bring back to the boil.
• Add the spaghetti and cook according to packet instructions - you want to cook your pasta until it is al dente. This translates as 'to the tooth' and means that it should be soft enough to eat, but still have a bit of a bite and firmness to it. Use the timings on the packet instructions as a guide, but try some just before the time is up to make sure it's perfectly cooked.
• Once the pasta is done, ladle out and reserve a cup of the cooking water and keep it to one side, then drain in a colander over the sink and tip the spaghetti back into the pot.
• Stir the spaghetti into the sauce, adding a splash of the pasta water to loosen, if needed.
• Serve with the reserved basil leaves sprinkled over the top and use a microplane to finely grate the Parmesan cheese, then sprinkle over.

CLASSIC TOMATO SAUCE

Steps:

• Heat olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add onion, bay leaf, oregano, garlic, and salt. Cook, stirring often, until onion is soft and translucent, about 10 minutes. Add tomato paste and continue cooking 5 minutes more.
• Add tomatoes and cook, stirring constantly, until sauce comes to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer for 1 hour, stirring every 5 minutes or so to prevent burning. Season with salt, if desired. Remove bay leaf before serving.

LOTS OF FRESH BASIL TOMATO SAUCE

Steps:

• In a large pot boil water, add salt and cook pasta al dente.
• While water is boiling, in a large pan add olive oil, garlic, can of tomatoes, oregano, salt, hot pepper flakes, fresh chopped basil and water, cook on medium heat until thickened.
• Add the drained cooked pasta and half a ladle of pasta water, raise the heat and while gently stirring constantly, cook for approximately 1-2 minutes or until thickened. Serve immediately with chopped fresh basil and grated Parmesan Cheese. Enjoy!

TOMATO-BASIL SAUCE

Steps:

• Coat a saucepan with 2 tablespoons of the oil and warm over medium-low heat. Add the garlic and cook, stirring, until soft. Add the crushed tomatoes and sugar; season with salt and pepper. Turn the heat up slightly to medium and simmer the sauce for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Stir in the basil and the remaining olive oil. Toss with spaghetti, if desired.

CLASSIC TOMATO BASIL SAUCE

Steps:

• Cut an X in the bottom of each tomato and blanch in a large pot of boiling water for 10 seconds. Immediately transfer tomatoes with a slotted spoon to an ice bath to cool, then peel, seed and chop. Cook garlic in oil in a small, heavy pot over medium heat, stirring occasionally until golden, 3 to 5 minutes. Add tomatoes, red pepper flakes, season with salt and pepper and add fresh basil. Cover and simmer for 1 hour, stirring occasionally.

FRESH TOMATO BASIL SAUCE

Steps:

• In large saucepan, cook tomatoes and basil over medium-low heat until tomatoes are soft.
• Meanwhile, in medium skillet, saute onion and garlic in olive oil until onions are translucent.
• Add onion mixture to tomato mixture and add salt and pepper. Let simmer on low heat for 2 hours or until thick.