Tomato sauce

A lot of tomato sauce (adapted from Esquire, March 2011) for those delicious meatballs we've introduced you to.

• San Marzano tomatoes
• olive oil
• garlic cloves
• basil leaves

1. Check a good supermarket for 8 28-oz cans of whole San Marzano tomatoes.

2. Empty into a huge bowl and crush by hand or with a potato masher.

3. Place a stockpot over moderate heat.

4. Add about ½ cup olive oil and 8 crushed garlic cloves, and cook until garlic starts to sizzle, 3 or 4 minutes. (Don't burn it. That will ruin the whole sauce.)

5. Add tomatoes in four portions, waiting until each comes to a simmer before adding the next. (This speeds up the cooking time.)

6. Lower heat, add a few ripped basil leaves, and simmer until foaming subsides and the sauce looks a little oily, probably 45 minutes.

7. Let cool and store until ready to use. Makes about 16 cups, so you'll have leftovers.