Italian Tomato Sauce by Chef Paul Geiler

Slightly crush the garlic, peel the ripe tomatoes from the seeds and chop them, finely chop the basil.

In a saucepan, cover and sauté all the oil, shallots, thyme, bay leaf, and garlic for 5-6 minutes or until the shallots are soft (but not browned!).

Mix tomatoes, puree, and sugar. Cook on low heat, uncovered, for 5 minutes.

Add water and tomato juice if using, increase the heat and bring to a boil.

Reduce the heat and simmer uncovered for 30 minutes.

Season and strain the sauce through a sieve with a ladle.

Return to the pan, heat again, and add a tablespoon of chopped basil before serving.