Simple Tomato Sauce Recipe

When plum tomatoes are no longer available at the farmers’ market, I turn to this easy, yet still delicious basic sauce (sugo di pomodoro semplice). Using superior-quality canned tomatoes and good olive oil makes all the difference in this recipe. I use diced imported Italian tomatoes packed in their natural juices, which yield a fresher-tasting sauce than one made from tomatoes in heavy puree, which gives the sauce the flavor of tomato paste/purée.