Tomato Spread Sauce

This simple tomato sauce is quick, tasty and easy! We once ordered "Tomato Bread" at a Spanish restaurant -  a bread served lightly spread with a fresh tomato sauce.  This sauce tastes a lot like that - very fresh and fruity. The olive oil and garlic really serve only to accent the tomato flavor not to overpower it.  If you're making pasta, put the water on to boil before you start this and they should be done at the same time.  

Ingredients

1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil

2 cloves garlic, smashed

Pinch crushed red pepper flakes

28 oz. can crushed tomatoes (preferably San Marzano)

Salt & Pepper to taste

Sprig of Fresh Basil (or 1/2 tsp. dried basil)

Directions

Heat oil in a saucepan over medium heat. Add garlic cloves and crushed red pepper flakes and reduce heat to low.  Heat for 1 minutes stirring around in oil making sure garlic doesn’t burn.  Add tomatoes, salt, pepper and basil, stirring to combine. Simmer for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally.  Remove garlic cloves and basil leaves (if fresh) before serving. Yield: approximately 3 cups