This basic recipe is delicious on its own, and it can also be used as the starting point for lots of other pasta sauces

Serves 4
Ready in just 30 minutes

1 medium onion
3 tbsp olive oil
2 cloves of garlic, peeled and crushed
400g tin chopped tomatoes
20g pack basil, leaves only, chopped
400g dried spaghetti
150g ball mozzarella

Step 1: Prepare the onion

Using a sharp knife, peel the onion, then slice in half through the root and trim off the top. Place the onion, cut-side down, on a chopping board. With your knife parallel to the board, cut 3 slices through the onion, keeping the root intact. Then, cut down through the onion, from top to bottom, 4 times at regular intervals. Holding the root end, finely slice across the onion to give you small, diced pieces.

Step 2: Make the sauce

Set a large frying pan over a medium heat and when hot, tip in the oil, then the onion. Cook for 5 minutes until starting to soften, stirring occasionally. Add the garlic and cook for 2 minutes more, until the onion starts to turn golden. When the onion is soft, tip in the tomatoes and half the basil. Leave to bubble gently for 15 minutes, until the sauce has thickened and looks pulpy. Stir occasionally, and break up any large clumps of tomato with the back of your spoon.

Step 3: Cook the pasta

Pour water three-quarters of the way up your largest pan. Heat over a high heat and add salt. When the water has reached a rolling boil, place the spaghetti into the pan. As it softens, use your hands to push all of it into the water. Give it a stir to separate the strands, then cook according to pack instructions (about 10 minutes). Taste a strand of pasta. It should be just soft, but not mushy. Scoop out a cup of water to use later in the sauce, then drain the spaghetti.

Step 4: Mix and serve

Tip the drained pasta back into its cooking pan, then pour over the tomato sauce. Give everything a good stir. The sauce should just coat the pasta - if it's thick and looks a bit dry, stir in a few spoons of the reserved pasta water. If it's watery, cook over a low heat until some of the liquid has evaporated, stirring often. Use your hands to break the mozzarella into chunky pieces and stir through the pasta, along with the remaining basil leaves.

Now try these variations:

• Drain a jar of roasted aubergine. Cut the aubergine into chunks, then stir into the pasta to make a classic Sicilian pasta sauce.


• Fry 450g beef mince for about 10 minutes, until browned, then stir into the sauce and cook for an extra 10 minutes for classic bolognese sauce.


• Add 100ml white wine before adding the tomatoes and cook until reduced by half for a deeper flavour.


• If you like your sauce hot, add 1/2 - 1 tsp chilli powder.

Reproduced from issue 26 of Easy Cook magazine. Subscribe now