What’s your trick to a delicious simple tomato pasta sauce

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I want to make a fucking delicious creamy tomato pasta with a beautiful burrata I have to use up. My tomato pasta sauces are either v flat tasting or I’ve used so much garlic and herbs to liven it up that it tastes like a mouthful of oregano and a vampires worst nightmare.

so I would love some recipes or tips for a rich and flavourful pasta sauce

Time. Keep the tomatoes simmering for a good long while to bring the natural sugars out. And plenty of olive oil. Don't forget the salt.

Start with chopped garlic and warm in olive oil till golden. Add a couple of tins of plum tomatoes, pinch of sugar, salt and pepper. Also stalks of basil. Cook gently for 30-40 minutes and then season with some balsamic vinegar and maybe a bit of red wine vinegar and probably more salt. Finally once you're happy with the flavour add basil leaves.
Use more olive oil than you think necessary, don't burn the garlic and be prepared to add more salt.

I agree with the PP. Simmer for longer than you think, use whole plum tomatoes, salt, garlic (I leave whole) and fresh basil. Nice and simple is best.

Hard agree with use more olive oil than you think. Don’t skimp. It’s the key. Bit of tomato puree if your tins are a tad watery. Don’t chuck too much crap into it though. Cook the onions for ages, don’t brown them but get them very soft.

Slllllooooowwwwwly cook a base first - I use:

Anchovies chopped up small
Sun dried tomatoes chopped small
Garlic

Get that going then add finely chopped onions, celery and carrots.

Cook low for at least 15 minutes.

Then add tomatoes, stock pot, herbs and simmer for as long as you can.

Butter, a lot of butter

Cook it s l o w l y!
Use the ripest, best quality tomatoes you can find.
As it's April and tomatoes aren't in season anywhere - I use Mutti Polpa chopped, tinned tomatoes. Worth every penny.

When I add a teaspoon of sugar I always use dark brown sugar as I feel it adds depth. I always add a couple of diced shallots softened in butter too instead of normal onion as I find it gives a more delicate flavour.

Blitz in some sundried tomatoes

I'd do this or if I had some, I might also add some tomatoes roasted in olive oil, sugar and salt to the tinned toms.

This ☝

same answer as most cooking queries TBH - more salt and fat than a lot of Mumsnetters think decent

Onion, celery, carrot roughly chopped sautéed for about 15 mins. Add couple of tins of good quality tomatoes, salt, pinch of sugar, bay leaf, glug of red wine. Simmer for about 30 minutes or so. Puree with a stick blender (remember to take the bay leaf out, shredded bayleaf does not enhance things!) Add butter at the end if you like.

Always some kind of dairy to level off the acidity. Butter or sometimes a dash of milk or cream at the end.

Mutti tinned tomatoes... the mutt's nuts. Plenty of salt and olive oil. And yes, cook it slowly and gently. I like a bayleaf too.

This is pretty much what I do, but I add the end rind of a piece of gran padano or Parmesan to simmer in with the tomatoes. Remove before purée -ing . Have also used anchovies which really kick it up.

Adding butter, lots of it, was a previous MN suggestion. Total game changer.

Agree - a teaspoon of sugar makes a huge difference.

I am a huge fan of the Marcella Hazan tomato sauce. 70g of butter, half an onion, 2 tins best quality tinned tomatoes money can buy, simmer 45 mins. You don't want to overwhelm the delicate flavour of the burrata with a tomato sauce with too much going on, I think.

www.thekitchn.com/marcella-hazans-amazing-4ingre-144538

I'd keep it simple and light to let the burrata shine rather than a heavier base, so just onion, couple of garlic cloves in plenty of olive oil, basil stalks (to be removed), salt, bit of pepper or dried chili, add good quality Italian tinned, or fresh tomatoes. Tinned probably better this time of year.

Long slow simmer. Don't be tight with the olive oil. Might need a pinch of sugar or a drop of lemon juice/ vinegar for balance. Remove the basil stalks and add leaves at the end. I like a little bit of grated lemon zest. Makes it a lot more rounded.

You can add butter but the burrata probably takes it's place. This type of sauce can stand or fall on the tomato quality really

If you have any leftover parmesan rind then put that in the sauce while it's simmering and it makes a lovely deep flavour! Really good quality tinned tomatoes too make a massive difference. Keep it simple!

Agree with using Mutti. They really do taste delicious.

I came onto this thread to recommend the Marcella Hazan tomato sauce. So simple and delicious.

Also, cook it. But refrigerate and reheat the next day. I think it helps enhance the flavours.

Rather than a tomato sauce I would probably just roast some garlic and cherry tomatoes with some really good olive oil and salt, and then stir that in to the pasta with the burrata and some fresh basil

The best quality tomatoes you can afford, in fact the best quality of all the ingredients you can afford.