Ingredients
- 400g crushed tomatoes
- 400g diced tomatoes (or second crushed)
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 1 onion, diced (or 1 tsp onion powder)
- 4 garlic cloves, minced (or 1 tsp garlic powder)
- 1 tsp sugar
- 1 tsp dried oregano
- ½ tsp chilli flakes (optional)
- 1 tbsp red wine or balsamic (optional)
- Salt & pepper to taste
Serves 4
Method
- Soften onion — cook in olive oil over medium heat, ~5 mins until translucent.
- Add garlic — cook 1 min until fragrant.
- Build the sauce — tip in both cans of tomatoes, sugar, oregano, chilli flakes, and a big pinch of salt.
- Simmer — 10–15 mins until thickened.
- Deglaze — add the wine or balsamic in the last 5 mins if using.
- Add meatballs — drop them in, coat well, and heat through.
Flavour Boosters
The big ones
- Anchovies — dissolve 2–3 fillets into the oil before the onion. They disappear completely but add deep savoury backbone. One of the best tricks in Italian cooking.
- Capers — stir in a tablespoon near the end. Briny and sharp, cuts through the richness. Caper brine works too.
- Both together — this is basically a puttanesca base. Add olives and you're there.
Other tricks
- Tomato paste — a tablespoon fried in the oil before the tomatoes adds concentrated depth.
- Parmesan rind — drop one in while it simmers. Incredible umami. Keep rinds in the freezer.
- Worcestershire — a small splash does the same job as anchovies without the fish.
- Fennel seeds — a pinch toasted in the oil at the start. Particularly good with pork meatballs.
- Fresh basil — torn in at the very end, off the heat. Never cook it.
- Butter — a knob stirred in at the end for richness.
Add salty things (anchovies, capers, Worcestershire) before seasoning with salt — taste at the end or you'll overdo it.