Any kind of red tomatoes will work for the sauce, but roma tomatoes are a good option. You can also do a combination of several types of tomatoes. Use a pair of tongs to drop the tomatoes into the boiling water so you don’t burn yourself.
Depending on how large your ice water bath is, you may need to boil and bathe the tomatoes in small batches so you don’t overcrowd them.
While you can throw away the tomato skin, you may want to save it to make your own tomato paste.
You don’t have to remove all of the seeds, but try to get rid of as many as you can.
You can use whatever type of olive oil you prefer, but extra virgin will provide the best flavor for the sauce.
Stir the onion periodically to ensure that it cooks evenly. You don’t want it to brown or color at all.
You can add the garlic according to your tastes. Add 3 cloves or more if you like a strong, garlic flavor. Limit it to 2 cloves if you prefer a milder taste.
If you don’t want as a sharp a taste in the sauce, you can substitute red wine for the red wine vinegar.
Smearing your sauce for longer evaporate water and helps develop flavors.
If you prefer a thinner sauce, simmer it for longer. The longer it cooks, the thinner it will becomes. If you want a smoother sauce, you can run it through a blender or use an immersion blender in the pan after it’s simmered.
If you want a spicy tomato sauce, commonly known as arrabiata sauce, mix in a pinch or two of crushed red pepper with the basil. [14] X Research source
You can omit the oil, but if you’re going to add it, make sure to use extra virgin olive oil.