Tuesday Night: Spaghetti and Meatballs

I borrowed Cati's copy of Marcella Hazan's Essentials of Classic Italian Cooking and I was intrigued by the first pasta sauce recipe: "Tomato Sauce with Onions and Butter", so last night I made up a batch and served it over spaghetti with some meatballs (out of the freezer) and steamed asparagus (WF is finally starting to get some good, thick asparagus in) on the side.

The sauce is incredibly simple: combine 16 oz chopped canned tomatoes with 5 Tbs of butter, a halved onion, and some salt in a pan; bring it to a low simmer and allow it to cook, uncovered, for about 45 minutes. Stir it occasionally to prevent sticking and break up any tomato chunks. Remove the onion halves and adjust seasonings before serving. Add a pinch of sugar if the acidity seems too high.

As I enjoyed this dinner (really enjoyed!), I kept thinking things like: "Wow, this sauce is great. I bet it would be even better with some fresh basil or crushed red pepper." Then I would have to
smack myself and remember: "No, the beauty of the sauce is its utter simplicity."