Tomato Sauce with Bacon and Onion

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 3 slices bacon (or pancetta)
• cut into 1/4-inch pieces
• 1 large onion
• peeled and sliced thin
• 6 ripe medium tomatoes
• peeled
• seeded
• and chopped
• or 8 canned whole tomatoes
• drained and chopped
• Salt

Instructions

1. Into a heavy pan over medium heat, pour: 2 tablespoons olive oil.
2. Add: 3 slices bacon (or pancetta), cut into 1/4-inch pieces.
3. Cook until the fat is rendered and the meat is lightly browned.
4. Remove the meat and set aside.
5. Add to the fat left in the pan: 1 large onion, peeled and sliced thin.
6. Cook, stirring now and then, until soft, about 10 minutes.
7. Add: 6 ripe medium tomatoes, peeled, seeded, and chopped, or 8 canned whole tomatoes, drained and chopped, Salt.
8. Cook for 10 minutes over low heat.
9. Add the reserved bacon and cook for another 2 or 3 minutes.
10. Taste for salt and adjust as needed.
11. Instead of tomatoes, use 1 1/2 cups Simple Tomato Sauce (opposite) and cook for only 4 minutes.
12. After the onions have cooked, pour in 1/3 cup white wine, and reduce over medium heat until the liquid has almost completely evaporated.
13. Add the tomatoes and proceed with the rest of the recipe.
14. When the sauce is nearly done, stir in a small handful of chopped parsley or a chiffonade of basil leaves.