Years ago, the husband of my girlfriend's sister was Italian. He told me how his Nonna used to make a tomato sauce that bubbled away all day – she was feeding a large family, and the pot never seemed to empty. Fresh tomatoes from the garden, a ladle of water now and then to keep it going, low heat, and time. When it was finally ready, she'd ladle the sauce into bowls and crack a fresh egg into each one. By the time the bowl hit the table, the egg was perfectly poached. No pasta needed.

I thought about that slow cooked tomato sauce while parked up at the Mirador de La Braguía in Cantabria – around 420 metres up, mist in the valley below, and complete silence apart from the gas ring. No fresh tomatoes in the van, but a good tin of peeled tomatoes, some cebolla frita, garlic, dried herbs, and patience. That's enough.

The key to a proper slow cooked tomato sauce is time. Give it at least 90 minutes over a low heat, stirring occasionally and mashing the tomatoes gently as they break down. Top up with a splash of water if it catches. The cebolla frita — tinned fried onion, a useful van staple — dissolves into the sauce and adds a sweetness that you'd otherwise have to cook out of fresh onions over twenty minutes. No blender needed. The tomatoes do the work themselves.

The result is thick, rich, and good for anything — pasta, crusty bread, or, if you want to do it properly, a cracked egg and some black pepper.

For another tomato sauce worth knowing, the Perfect Tomato Sauce for Fried Gnocchi is also a Nonna's recipe.

Slow Cooked Tomato Sauce — Ingredients

(serves 1–2)

• 1 tin of peeled tomatoes
• 2–3 tbsp cebolla frita (tinned fried onion)
• 2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
• Pinch of dried herbs (oregano, thyme, or mixed)
• Olive oil, salt and black pepper
• A splash of water as needed

Method

1. Warm a splash of olive oil in a heavy-bottomed pan over a low heat. Add the garlic and cook gently for a minute until fragrant.
2. Add the cebolla frita and stir to combine.
3. Tip in the tinned tomatoes. Crush them gently with a spoon.
4. Simmer over a very low heat for 90 minutes to 2 hours, stirring occasionally and adding a splash of water if needed. The sauce will thicken and deepen considerably.
5. Season with salt and black pepper. Serve with pasta, bread, or crack an egg directly into the hot sauce and leave it for two minutes until just set.

Find more recipes and food adventures here.

Wonky photos, proper food, genuine adventures – The Flexible Chef