Start by making some mirepoix
(You have my permission to skip the carrot if you really don’t like them.)
Add 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil and 4 minced garlic cloves to the pan.
Cook for another 1-2 minutes, or until you can really smell the garlic.
Raise heat to medium and add:
- 1 tsp white wine or regular white vinegar.
- 1 tsp italian seasoning.
- 1 tsp salt.
- 2 tsp sugar.
In the meantime, crush up 56 ounces (5.5 cups) of tomatoes with juice (no skin) until it looks like puree.
When the liquid is mostly gone, add the tomatoes to the pan.
Add 2 tbsp finely chopped parsley.
Bring to a boil, then turn the heat to low and simmer for 1 1/2 hours, stirring occasionally.
Watch to see if you need to add a bit of water (max 1/4 cup) every 10-15 minutes.
There’s a whole lot of optional ingredients, like chopped hot peppers/dried red pepper flakes/chili oil, fish sauce/worcestershire sauce/anchovy paste, a handful of fresh chopped herbs that go into the Italian seasoning (oregano, basil, thyme, sage, rosemary, coriander), wine, etc. The sky’s the limit for what you can change from the base recipe.