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There’s absolutely no excuse for using tomato sauce out of a jar. It just doesn’t taste as good as the real thing, and is also filled with too much salt, sugar and other additives you really don’t need. When it comes to cooking Italian, Jamie Oliver is the next best thing to an Italian. So we’ve taken our inspiration for this recipe, inspired by his friend and mentor Gennaro Contaldo, from Jamie. It’s quick and easy to make, and goes fantastically on a pizza, with fresh pasta, or served with fish or meat.

Fresh is best

For this recipe, choose the best ingredients you can find. As with any simple recipes, the difference between an average result and a brilliant result comes down to what you put into it. Choose canned Italian tomatoes, fresh garlic and basil, and the best quality olive oil you can afford.

Getting started

Pour a generous amount of olive oil into a big saucepan, and place it on the heat. Add four cloves of chopped garlic and half a chilli and let it cook until it starts colouring, being careful not to burn it. Then add a generous handful of fresh basil, the canned tomatoes, and a handful of sundried tomatoes, mashing them together in the pan.

And you’re almost done

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Add salt and pepper to taste to the tomato sauce, and let it come to the boil. Take it off the heat as soon as it begins to boil, and then use a sieve to separate the tomato from the garlic, basil, sundried tomatoes and chilli, being sure not to leave any goodness behind.

Just another five minutes

Place the sieved tomatoes back in the pan, bring to the boil again, and then allow the tomato sauce to simmer for five minutes.

You know it’s ready when your sauce has a good consistency for spreading on a pizza.

Tags: homemade tomato sauce