Red Sauce And Mozzarella Recipe

Prep

Finely chop 1/2 cup onion and mince 2 garlic cloves. Drain tomatoes if excessively watery but keep juices.

Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a medium saucepan over medium heat until shimmering.

Add the chopped onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until translucent and just beginning to brown at the edges, about 5–7 minutes.

Add the minced garlic and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds to 1 minute — do not let it burn.

Stir in 1 tablespoon tomato paste and cook 1–2 minutes to caramelize and deepen flavor.

Add the crushed tomatoes (400 g) to the pot and stir to combine. If the sauce seems very thick, add up to 2 tablespoons water to loosen.

Season with 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano, 1/2 teaspoon dried basil, 1/4 teaspoon sugar, 1 teaspoon salt, 1/4 teaspoon black pepper and 1/8 teaspoon red pepper flakes (optional). Stir well.

Bring the sauce to a gentle simmer, then reduce heat to low and let simmer uncovered for 12–18 minutes, stirring occasionally, until slightly reduced and flavors meld. Adjust thickness with a splash of water if needed.

Taste and adjust seasoning: add more salt, pepper or a pinch of sugar if the tomatoes are too acidic. Stir in torn fresh basil leaves (6 leaves) in the last 1–2 minutes of cooking, if using.

Remove from heat and keep warm until ready to assemble.

If serving on toast: toast 4 slices of bread until golden and warm. If serving with pasta, have 2 cups cooked pasta ready and warm.

Slice the fresh mozzarella into 1/4-inch (about 0.6 cm) slices and pat dry with paper towel to remove excess moisture. This helps keep the final dish from getting watery.

Lightly brush or drizzle 1/2 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil over the mozzarella slices and season each side with a light pinch of salt (1/8 tsp total) and 1/8 tsp freshly ground black pepper.

Place 3–4 slices of mozzarella evenly over each toast slice (or mound over warm pasta). If using toast, arrange on a baking sheet.

Spoon generous ladlefuls (about 1/4 cup each) of the warm red sauce over the mozzarella on each serving, covering cheese but leaving some cheese edge visible.

Optional broiling step for a melted, slightly browned top: place assembled toasts under a hot broiler 4–6 inches from the heat for 1–2 minutes, watching constantly until mozzarella softens and lightly browns. If serving over pasta, skip broiling and let the warm sauce melt the cheese slightly.

Remove from oven or transfer to plates. Drizzle a little extra-virgin olive oil (optional), garnish with remaining fresh basil leaves, and serve immediately.

Serve each portion with one slice of toast (or a portion of pasta).