Easy Italian Tomato Sauce

2 tbs olive oil
2 cloves garlic, crushed
700 ml bottle passata (Mutti brand is very good)
10 fresh basil leaves, very finely sliced
1/4 tsp dried basil leaves
Salt

Gently simmer garlic in oil in a saucepan pan on medium heat until aromatic (1-2 minutes). Do not let the garlic burn.

Add a good pinch of salt.

Boil on medium high heat with lid on for 5 - 7 minutes. If you are not using a non-stick saucepan, stir to avoid the sauce sticking to the pan.

Remove from heat and add dried and fresh basil, stir and return cover to the saucepan.

Add salt.

Leave to sit until needed ( leave for at least 10 minutes).

This works without the fresh basil if you do not have any.

This recipe also works with crushed tomatoes (Annalisa brand works), instead of passata. Add a pinch of sugar if using crushed tomatoes. Add sugar when you add the basil. You may want to strain the pulp through a sieve for a different texture.

 This works with pasta with parmesan or as pizza sauce. The crushed tomato version works very well as a pizza sauce (don’t add sugar if using on pizza).

Try this with Leggo’s Roasted Pumpkin and Feta Ravioli.