Pasta al Pomodoro

Method

1. Put 1 tbsp olive oil and 1 lightly crushed garlic clove in a small saucepan or wide frying pan over the lowest heat. Let the garlic infuse for about 3 minutes, turning it once, until it is pale gold and smells sweet — do not let it brown or the sauce will taste bitter.
2. Crush 250 g tinned peeled tomatoes in your hand or with a fork and tip them into the pan with all their juice. Stand back — they will spit. Add 0.25 tsp fine salt, a couple of basil stalks and, if the tomatoes taste sharp, 1 pinch caster sugar.
3. Simmer uncovered over a low heat for 20 minutes, stirring and breaking up the tomatoes now and then with a wooden spoon. The sauce is ready when it has reduced by about a third, coats the spoon and a slick of orange oil separates at the edges. Remove the garlic clove and the basil stalks.