Lidia's Marinara Sauce

Ingredients

• 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
• 8 garlic cloves, peeled
• 3 pounds ripe fresh plum tomatoes, peeled and seeded, or one 35 ounce can Italian plum tomatoes, seeded and lightly crushed, with their liquid
• Salt
• Crushed red pepper
• 10 fresh basil leaves, torn into small pieces

Directions

Warm the oil over medium heat in a 2- to 3-quart nonreactive saucepan. Using the broad side of a knife, smack the garlic cloves to flatten them, then add them to the hot oil and cook until they take on a pale golden color, about 2 minutes. Gently add the tomatoes with their liquid. Bring everything to a boil, then add a light seasoning of salt and crushed red pepper. Reduce the heat until the sauce bubbles steadily, and cook it for about 20 minutes, using a whisk or spoon to break the tomatoes into pieces, until the sauce is thick but still chunky. Add the basil about 5 minutes before the sauce is done. Taste, then adjust with more salt and red pepper if needed.