The Recipe

This is a great, general-purpose pasta sauce. It should be rich and full-flavoured, thickened by the process of reduction and the pectin in the tomatoes rather than any added thickeners. It should not be hurried – it is best when it has taken hours of cooking. Serve by tossing freshly boiled pasta with just enough sauce to coat each piece, and a sprinkle of freshly grated parmesan.

Ingredients

1 large onion, chopped

2 cloves garlic, crushed & chopped

1 can chopped Italian plum tomatoes

1 bottle passata (sieved Italian tomatoes)

8 sun-dried tomatoes

½ bottle red wine

1 red pepper, diced

Olive oil & butter

Oregano, basil & parsley

Salt & pepper

Method

Fry the onion and garlic in olive oil and butter until soft. Add the red pepper and herbs and cook for a further few minutes. Add the the sun-dried tomatoes, chopped tomatoes and passata. Finally add the red wine and simmer until reduced to about half its volume.

Serves lots!