A Simple Tomato Sauce
For 2 or 3
This standby staple is almost all you need to make a tomato sauce, but the additions suggested here can transform it into something special for a simple meal.
All you need is a can of tomatoes in natural juice (chop the tomatoes if they are not done already) and just one of the following ingredients:
- A tbsp of dried fennel seeds
- A pinch of dried chilli flakes
- A tsp of dried oregano
You will also need a little salt (the salt flakes with rosemary and orange would be good see https://sherbhert.com/seasoning-salt-flakes/) or sugar and some black pepper
Put the chopped tomatoes and juice in a pan add the fennel seeds or dried chilli flakes or dried oregano and set the pan over medium heat.
Let the ingredients heat up and then bubble gently until the juice reduces and thickens to form a sauce – this will probably take 20 minutes or so but keep an eye on it.
Taste the sauce and add a little salt or sugar and some black pepper to bring out the flavour of the tomatoes.
Making a meal of the sauce: –
- Stirred through some pasta with grated cheese
- With a few canned anchovies (see https://sherbhert.com/canned-foods-anchovies/) added whilst the sauce is reducing and then stirred through some pasta
- With drained canned chickpeas or cannellini beans, added whilst the sauce is reducing and piled on to hot buttered toast, with cheese
