YUM

Sometimes very good things come in surprising packages, don't they?

I had the lovely shock recently of finding that perhaps the simplest recipe I've ever come across is also an absolute keeper. I had a big plan last week to make homemade pasta. The truth is I have a soft spot for it since it was something of an entertaining staple in my house growing up, something we did as a family when guests came over. And I do believe I even had a few birthday parties where making noodles was the main event. Cranking the floury, salty dough through the Atlas pasta machine was a fun, exciting thing to me at eleven, and it turns out it still is! Jaren and I bought our own shiny metal Atlas machine years ago, but we haven't busted it out a single time since we became parents. I thought the kids would get a kick out of watching their pasta noodles "born", but like so many of my expectations about what my kids will think is fun, they were absolutely indifferent to the pasta making process and were just ready to eat.

Lucky for us, the best part of the night was the secret tomato sauce recipe I had read about on Smitten Kitchen awhile back. The simple trio of ingredients (peeled tomatoes, butter, and onion) had made me avoid jumping to make it because it just sounded too simple to be very good. But since I really trust Smitten Kitchen on these matters, I figured it was worth a go. Its been a week and I've wanted to make the sauce pretty much every day since. YUM! The sauce is delicate and subtle and seriously good. I would recommend you make it with the high quality San Marzano canned tomatoes, though, since the tomato flavor is the main event. I can't say it is the most amazing thing you'll ever eat but I can say that the flavor in its simplicity will refresh you and get under your skin. And let's not forget that this puppy costs next to nothing to make and is ready in 45 minutes with minimal stirring required. Like I said, keeper!

Tomato Sauce with Butter and Onions

Adapted from Marcela Hazan’s Essentials of Italian Cooking

Serves 4

28 ounces (800 grams) whole peeled tomatoes from a can (San Marzano, if you can find them)*
5 tablespoons (70 grams) unsalted butter
1 medium-sized yellow onion, peeled and halved
Salt to taste

Put the tomatoes, onion and butter in a heavy saucepan (it fit just right in a 3-quart) over medium heat. Bring the sauce to a simmer then lower the heat to keep the sauce at a slow, steady simmer for about 45 minutes, or until droplets of fat float free of the tomatoes. Stir occasionally, crushing the tomatoes against the side of the pot with a wooden spoon. Remove from heat, discard the onion, add salt to taste (you might find, as I did, that your tomatoes came salted and that you didn’t need to add more) and keep warm while you prepare your pasta.

Serve with spaghetti, with or without grated parmesan cheese to pass.