Ingredients

  • ¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil
  • 2 large cloves garlic, thinly sliced
  • Two 28-ounce cans crushed tomatoes with their juice
  • Two 14 ½-ounce cans diced tomatoes with their juice
  • 1 teaspoon kosher salt
  • 1 sprig fresh basil, plus ½ cup loosely packed basil leaves, torn into small pieces

Yield

Serves: 2 quarts

Preparation

Heat a large, heavy pot over medium-high heat. Add the oil and heat until shimmering, almost smoking. Add the garlic and cook, stirring, until golden and fragrant, about 30 seconds. Stir in the tomatoes, salt and basil sprig. Keep cooking and stirring until the sauce comes to a boil then lower the heat and simmer, stirring occasionally, until the sauce is thickened and richly flavored, 15-20 minutes. Adjust the seasoning with more salt, if necessary, and stir in the basil leaves.

Use the sauce in other dishes, toss with the pasta of your choice or use as a dip for fried foods. Extra sauce may be refrigerated in an airtight container for up to 2 days or frozen for up to 1 month.