Marcella Hazan's Tomato Sauce

This wonderful tomato sauce came to my attention via an unlikely source: King Arthur Flour's blog Flourish. I had to investigate since this wasn't Chocolate Peppermint Snaps or Vermont Oatmeal bread, though both are amazing. According to KAF, Marcella's legendary recipe has been around for years and we soon learned the reason for its staying power. Only five ingredients–tomatoes, butter, onion, salt, sugar–are needed. And, though a bit of time on the stove top is required, the process is beyond simple. You'll discover a rich tomato flavor that stands alone without beef or garlic or oregano for support. Please do not doubt. Just try.

We doubled the recipe and find the amount of sauce works well with a pound of spaghetti. Admittedly, we're a piggy family of four. If there are leftovers, they're reserved for the thermos the next morning, per instruction of the youngest piglet. You can increase or decrease proportions as needed for those at your table.

Ingredients
2 (28 oz.) cans San Marzano whole tomatoes
10 tablespoons butter (Yes, ten. No, we aren't picky about salted or unsalted)
2 small-ish or 1 large onion, peeled and left whole
2 tablespoons sugar (tomatoes can be very acidic, but adjust according to preference)
2 teaspoons Kosher salt

Add all the ingredients to a large saucepan and place over medium to medium-high heat. Let the sauce come to a simmer, allowing to gently bubble for about 15 minutes. By then, butter will be melted and  tomatoes will have softened, so it will be easier to crush the whole tomatoes. Use a potato masher or even a pastry blender to crush tomatoes. Let simmer for another 45 or so minutes. Sauce should have thickened nicely. Discard onion.

Cook pasta in well-salted water (generous 1 or 2 tablespoons added to water). Once pasta is drained, place back in the pasta pot, add a few ladles of the tomatoes sauce, and combine well. Serve with additional sauce on top and as much parmesan as desired.

Photography courtesy of Elisabeth Heissner