Pomadori e Basilico: Tomato & Basil Sauce

INGREDIENTS
1/4 Diced White or Yellow Onion
14 or 15-ounce can of crushed tomatoes (sometimes they come in 14.5 ounce cans)
Extra Virgin Olive Oil
Fresh Basil Leaves
Salt & Pepper
Splash of Red Wine (Optional)

This is a very basic tomato sauce, and it can be used for so many other dishes, including the base of other sauces as well.  Alone, there should be a perfect balance (and not one ingredient that overpowers the others) of garlic, basil, tomato and slight taste of the extra virgin olive oil.

In a sauce pan, pour in some olive oil, not a lot but enough to coat the bottom of the pan.  Add in your thickly sliced garlic, thick because you do not want it to burn.  After a few minutes, add your the diced onions.  Continue to sautee until the onions become clearer in color and slightly yellowish (do not burn the garlic nor the onions!).  Add a splash of red wine to deglaze, cook out the wine for a few minutes then add your add the can of tomatoes, plus half a can of cold water.  Bring to a boil, then stir.  Add in seasonings such as salt and pepper to taste, then your  some fresh chopped basil leaves.  

Reduce to  a simmer. This sauce should be ready in 25 minutes.   This can be served with your favorite pasta, spaghetti, linquine, cappelini or angel hair all work fine.  If you made a lot of this, put it aside and see some of the other recipes where this can be used.  This recipe should be able to serve at least 4.

Wine Notes:  Since this dish is simple, light, it should be served with a lighter red wine like red rose (rosso) perhaps, but not too sweet, nor too dry. 

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