Tomato & Herb sauce

Prep 10min, 20min cook time. Makes 350ml. A simple but delicious sauce, perfect for dinner in a hurry. Great with pasta, meat or fish.

Ingredients

• 1tbsp olive oil
• 1 garlic clove, crushed
• 400g can chopped tomatoes or passata
• 1 crumbled stock cube (vegetable or beef)
• 1tbsp tomato purée
• ½tsp sugar (less if you like a sharper tasting sauce)
• 1tsp dried, mixed herbs

Method

Heat 1tbsp oil in a pan, add 1 crushed garlic clove, then gently fry for 1 min. Tip in tomatoes, stock cube, tomato purée, herbs and sugar, then bring to the boil.
Reduce the heat, then simmer uncovered for 20 mins, stirring occasionally. The longer you can leave it simmering, the more the flavours will develop.

Try these options:

• Fry a small onion, chopped chorizo and dried chilli before adding
  the tomatoes.
• Stir in 2tbsp of mascarpone, cream, quark or soft cheese towards the end for a creamier sauce.
• Bulk it up with onions, mushrooms, peppers or courgettes – fry until soft before adding tomatoes.