MARCELLA HAZAN’S TOMATO SAUCE WITH GARLIC AND BASIL

This classic sauce is delicious with meatballs and pasta. Slide either Linda Harrell’s Gluten-Free Chicken Meatballs or Craig Richards’ Tuscan-Inspired Mushroom Meatballs into the pan as the sauce finishes cooking, and toss with spaghetti or rigatoni. If you plan to skip the pasta and use this sauce with the meatballs only, you may want a smoother sauce. In that case, you may omit the basil altogether; chop it fine before adding to the sauce; or puree the finished sauce in a food processor or blender. 1 large bunch fresh basil 2 cups canned imported San Marzano tomatoes, juices included 5 garlic cloves, peeled and

finely chopped 5 tablespoons extravirgin olive oil 1 teaspoon kosher salt Freshly ground black

pepper

Pull all the basil leaves from the stalks. Rinse them briefly in cold water; shake off excess moisture, and wrap in a cloth towel or paper towels to dry. Tear all but the tiniest leaves by hand into small pieces.

Place the tomatoes in a large saucepan. If using canned tomatoes, mash them with a fork or your fingertips to break up slightly. Add garlic, olive oil, salt and a generous sprinkle or two of black pepper, to taste. Turn the heat to medium high. Cook for 20 to 25 minutes, or until the oil floats free from the tomatoes. Taste and correct for salt.

Off the heat, as soon as the sauce is done, mix in the torn-up basil, keeping a few pieces aside to use as garnish. — Adapted from “Essentials of Classic Italian Cooking” by Marcella Hazan (Knopf, $35)

Per 1/4-cup serving: 83 calories (percent of calories from fat, 78), 1 gram protein, 4 grams carbohydrates, trace fiber, 7 grams fat (1 gram saturated), no cholesterol, 226 milligrams sodium.