Authentic (Quick) Italian Tomato Sauce for Pasta

To enjoy with pasta as soon as the sauce is ready, put a large pot of salted water on the cook top over high heat and cook the pasta (I prefer De Cecco) as directed (if you are using egg or a very quick cooking pasta, do this about half-way through these directions). Pour the oil into a large saute pan (not a deep pot) over medium high heat. Crush the garlic and add it to the oil (if you want a spicy sauce, you can add some hot pepper, fresh or flakes, at this point). Saute the garlic until it just starts to brown, then add the parsley. Turn the heat up to high. Now add the tomatoes, and quickly cover with the lid for about 30 seconds, until the squirting subsides. Stir with a wooden spoon and lower the heat a little. It is important that this sauce is cooked at a fast simmer, as it is cooked briefly. Add the salt and continue to simmer at a fast pace, and stir often. The sauce will thicken quickly, so do not overcook it, and have it become too thick; about 5 to 7 minutes should be sufficient. Taste the sauce, if it doesn't taste delicious, it probably just needs a little more salt. Turn off the heat and add the fresh basil (I tear mine into pieces). Also, unless absolutely necessary, do not wash your basil. Wipe it with a damp paper towel instead, so the water doesn't ruin the flavor and aroma. Add sauce to the drained pasta (save some pasta water to add back into the pasta in case it's too dry), and enjoy immediately with some freshly grated authentic Parmigiana Reggiano cheese and/or pepper. Also, if you've been plating pasta in a bowl, then topping it with sauce, this is American-style. If you want to serve it the way they do in Italy, mix the sauce in and then plate it. Domenica Marchetti, who is an authority on Italian cuisine and the author of six Italian cookbooks will explain it perfectly for you, here. Note that her simple Italian Pasta Sauce recipe at the end of her post is almost identical to mine. BUON APPETITO!