Simple Tomato Sauce

I hadn't heard of this recipe before it appeared on Smitten Kitchen, but it's apparently kind of a big deal in the food blogosphere.

This is incredibly simple, and you probably have the ingredients sitting in your pantry already.  They are:  tomatoes, butter, and an onion.  That's it.  No chopping (although I ended up cheating and using a blender at the end.)  It makes a wonderfully rich, mellow sauce that reminded me a bit of vodka sauce, but without the bite. 

Originally from Essentials of Classic Italian Cooking, by Marcella Hazan, but I saw it at Smitten Kitchen.  Makes 4 servings. 

Ingredients:
One can of whole tomatos (28 oz.)
One onion, peeled and cut in half
5 T butter (unsalted)

That's it.  Maybe salt if there isn't already some in the canned tomatoes (there will be, though.)  And some parmesan to grate on top, if you feel so inclined.  Also, I giggled a this picture, because I have the sense of humor of a five-year-old boy.  Unsalted butt.

Directions:
1.  Put all ingredients into a saucepan.

Simmer, partially covered, for 45 minutes, occasionally stirring to squish the tomatoes. 

2.  In theory, step 2 is just fishing out the onion.  In practice, my tomatoes hadn't broken up enough and the sauce was still lumpy after an hour and a half.   Not the consistency I wanted.

So I threw it in the blender.  (Yes, a stick blender would be easier, if you have one.)

It was SO good... fresh and creamy and wonderful and delicious.

It did turn orange, though... I'm sure there's a perfectly reasonable chemistry-based explanation, but I have no idea what.  Something with the seeds getting blended, maybe? 

I served this over rotini with sweet Italian sausage on top, but it might be even better without sausage and just bit of cheese grated on top.