Sicilian-Style Tomato Sauce

This is my go-to tomato sauce I use in many preparations. I love it in lasagna or simply as a quick and easy pasta sauce. I suggest using the freshest tomatoes you can acquire for this sauce, and do not cook them long – you want to preserve the fresh tomato flavor.

I adore the addition of cinnamon in this sauce; I think it makes all the difference. It also speaks to my North African roots and I like that. But most of all, I think the cinnamon blends nicely with the tomatoes to create a pleasant softness that hovers in the background.

Choose low-water content fresh tomatoes for this sauce – something like San Marzano, Roma, or Beefsteak. Because this sauce cooks quickly, you don’t want a lot of extra moisture in the sauce – just meaty varieties that cook down into a thick and semi-gelatinous consistency in about 30 minutes.

I usually make a double or triple batch of this sauce…enough to preserve 1- to 2 liters. It is very nice to have on hand during those evenings when I feel a bit stuck on what to make.

Difficulty: simple
Yield:  about 4-6 servings for a pasta dish