Tomato sauce with basil (Salsa di pomodoro)

1. Chop the onion very finely; peel and halve the garlic.

2. In a saucepan, sweat the onion in the extra virgin olive oil over low heat for 8-10 minutes until soft and translucent but not browned; add the garlic for the last minute.

3. Crush the peeled tomatoes with their juice by hand or with a fork and pour them into the pan.

4. Season with salt, add a pinch of sugar (to balance the acidity) and a few basil leaves.

5. Simmer uncovered over low heat, stirring now and then, for 25-30 minutes until thickened and small droplets of oil appear on the surface; remove the garlic.

6. Finally stir in the rest of the torn basil; for a silky sauce, blend it with a stick blender or pass it through a food mill.

Tip: This is the basic sauce of Italian cooking: great for pasta, pizza and stuffed vegetables; frozen in portions it keeps for 3 months.