TWENTY-MINUTE MARINARA SAUCE WITH FRESH BASIL

Steps:

• Pour the tomatoes and juice into a big mixing bowl. Using both hands, crush the tomatoes and break them up into small pieces. (You don't have to mash them to bits; I like chunkiness in my marinara, with the tomatoes in 1-inch pieces.)
• Pour the oil into the big skillet, scatter the garlic slices in the oil, and set over medium-high heat. Cook for 1 1/2 minutes or so, until the slices are sizzling, then add and toast the peperoncino in a hot spot for another 1/2 minute.
• Shake and stir the pan until the garlic slices are light gold and starting to darken. Immediately pour in the crushed tomatoes and stir in with the garlic. Rinse out the tomato can and bowl with 1 cup of pasta-cooking water, and dump it into the skillet too.
• Raise the heat; sprinkle in the salt and stir. Push the stalk or sprigs of basil into the sauce until completely covered. When the sauce is boiling, cover the pan, reduce the heat slightly, and cook for 10 minutes at an actively bubbling simmer.
• Uncover the pan and cook another 5 minutes or so. The sauce should be only slightly reduced from the original volume-still loose and juicy. Remove the poached basil stalk or sprigs from the skillet and discard (but save the sauce that's clinging to it), and keep at a low simmer until the pasta is ready.
• To dress pasta with marinara sauce, toss and cook them together (for details, see page 105), incorporating the shredded basil. Remove the skillet from the heat and toss in the cheese just before serving.
• Quick Pantry Pastas with Marinara: with Tuna
• Bring the marinara to a boil, then add the tuna chunks (do not break them up) and the capers. Simmer for 5 to 7 minutes while the pasta cooks. I like dry tubular pasta, such as rigatoni or ziti, with this sauce.
• Olives and Capers
• Marinara with olives and capers makes a tasty pasta dish. Use 1 1/2 cups pitted green or black olives to 4 cups of marinara plus 1/4 cup of capers.
• Mozzarella
• A quick and delicious option is to toss 2 cups of cubed mozzarella when you're tossing the cooked pasta in your marinara sauce. For a finish, top with 8 shredded basil leaves.
• Good With . . .
• Dry and fresh pastas and raviolis.
• Wonderful for baked pastas.