Marcella Hazan's 3 Ingredient Tomato Sauce

Marcella Hazan is one of the foremost authorities on Italian cooking.  She has spent over 30 years teaching Americans about authentic Italian cuisine.  In her book, Essentials of Italian Cooking, she divulges the secrets to making fresh pasta, gnocchi, risotto, and how to make this wonderful tomato sauce.  The beauty of this sauce is in its simplicty.  Three ingredients hold the key to bliss: tomato, onion, and butter.  All the sauce requires is simmering the ingredients for 45 minutes- that's it.  Make this tomato sauce this summer and you'l l be blown away by its flavor.

For the Sauce:

(Adapted from Marcella Hazan's Essentials of Italian Cooking)

2 pounds fresh, ripe tomatoes, peeled, or 2 cups canned imported Italian tomatoes, cut up, with their juice

5 tablespoons butter

1 medium onion, peeled and cut in half

Salt to taste

Heat a heavy saucepan over medium heat. Add all of the ingredients and bring to a simmer. Turn the heat down to maintain a steady simmer. Cook, stirring occasionally, for 45 minutes, or until droplets of fat float free of the tomatoes. Taste and correct for salt. Discard the onion before tossing with pasta. Serve with freshly grated parmigiano-reggiano cheese for the table.

*To peel tomatoes, cut a small "X" at the bottom of the tomato with a pairing knife and place in boiling water for 15 seconds.  Remove tomato and place into ice water for a minute then proceed to peel skin.