Pizza Sauce
1/4 cup olive oil
1 large onion, cut into 2-inch strips
2 tablespoons tomato paste
1 can (1 pound 12 ounces) ground tomatoes
1 teaspoon each dried basil and oregano
1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper, or to taste
1 teaspoon sugar
1 teaspoon salt, or to taste
1/2 teaspoon black pepper, or to taste
1 cup water
1.In a large saucepan, heat the olive oil over medium heat for 30 seconds. Add the onions and cook for 8 minutes, stirring often, until the onions begin to brown. With a slotted spoon, remove the onions from the pan.
2. Stir the tomato paste and ground tomatoes into the hot oil. Cook, stirring, for 5 minutes. Add the basil, oregano, red pepper, sugar, salt, and black pepper. Mix well. Stir in the water.
3. Bring to a boil, lower the heat, and simmer the sauce for 20 minutes.
4. Return the onions to the sauce. Taste for seasoning, and add more salt and red pepper if you like. Remove from the heat.
Adapted from Concetta Cucinotta and Angela Molinario